Rugby: Back on familiar ground

Jermaine Ainsley (second from right), with his fellow school front-rowers (from left): Liam Sharples, Sekonaia Pole and Jonah Aoina, in 2013, with the Trust Bank Cup, the symbol of South Island school rugby supremacy. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Most of the players turning out for the Force tonight at Forsyth Barr Stadium will not be overly familiar with the sights and sounds of Dunedin.

But for prop Jermaine Ainsley it is something of a return home.

Ainsley, a prop, who will start off the bench for the Force tonight, is a former Otago Boys' High School first XV player.

Ainsley, originally from Cromwell, boarded at the school for five years and was a member of the successful Otago Boys' High School first XV in 2012 and 2013, which made the national top four final.

Ainsley was selected for the New Zealand Barbarians school teams - effectively the New Zealand Schools B team in 2013 - and was close to making the top national schools team.

On completing his education at Otago Boys' High School, Ainsley moved to Perth to be nearer family, who had moved to Western Australia.

The 20-year-old has made a rapid rise up the ranks and late last year signed a short-term training contract with the Force.

Originally, he was to train with the squad and then return to club play for the season but injuries to other players have forced the coaching staff to turn to the tighthead prop and Ainsley may get a run tonight off the bench.