Rugby: Casey poised to bring up 200 points

Josh Casey. Photo by Christine O'Connor.
Josh Casey. Photo by Christine O'Connor.
Taieri first five-eighth Josh Casey is poised to joined an exclusive club.

The 21-year-old needs to kick only another couple of penalties tomorrow to bring up 200 points for the season, a feat which has been achieved only 21 times since 1976.

He has amassed 194 points in effectively 10 games this season.

He has played in 12 of Taieri's 14 games but Hayden Parker did the goal-kicking during the first two weeks before his season ended with injury.

Casey missed two games through a foot injury.

He is still carrying that niggle now but has battled through and, all going well, he should become the first player from Taieri to reach the milestone.

With four games remaining in the regular season, and a potential semifinal and final, Casey's final tally could threaten the record of 260 points set by Dunedin's Daniel Soper in 1997 - detailed records have only been recorded since 1976.

''I don't keep track of my points at all. As long as I do my job, I'm not too worried,'' he said when asked if he was aware of the impending milestone.

He is pleased with his form with the boot, though, and he also has an eye for a gap.

He is the competition's leading try-scorer with 12 five-pointers.

When the game opens up, Casey is at his most dangerous and that fact has not escaped the attention of Otago coach Cory Brown.

Casey has been training with the Otago squad for the past couple of weeks and is soaking it all in.

He has been playing first five-eighth for only two years and is still finding his feet in the position.

''The first goal is to win another title with the Taieri team but I'm training with Otago at the moment and have had a good wee taste of what it is like to go up to the next level.

''I'll keep working hard and hope for a crack at the Otago team. Maybe not this season but the one after.''

Taieri is well placed to make the semifinals but has a tough game against the much-improved University A for the Paul Sapsford Memorial at the University Oval tomorrow.

Casey played a key role in helping his side beat University 42-29 in round six.

The game hung in the balance when Casey nabbed an intercept and ran 95m to score what proved to be the match-winner.

He had been pushed out to centre to mark the dangerous Matt Faddes and had a feeling the ball would be shunted quickly to his opponent.

He was right, and managed to snatch the pass before it reached its intended recipient.

''If I missed, Faddes would have been under the post, I think, and they would have won by a point.''

Tomorrow's return game is shaping as a cracker. Casey feels the teams play a similar attacking style of rugby.

''They are quite structured but then again they love to throw the ball around and have a crack from anywhere in the park. Obviously, they will still be dirty about our last game.''

Alhambra-Union and Harbour will play for a new trophy tomorrow - the Ross Godman Memorial.

Godman was a valued member of Alhambra-Union. He played schoolboy rugby for Ravensbourne Rugby Club before joining the Union Club in 1971.

Following a stint overseas, he rejoined Alhambra-Union in the early 1990s and did everything from coaching to administrative duties.

He was club president when he died.

 


200 points in season
Since 1976

260   1997, Daniel Soper (Dunedin)

249   1997, Tutere Williams (Zingari-Richmond)

235   2012, Stephen Fenemor (University A)

231   1996, Chris Finch (Pirates)

227   1997, Brendan Laney (Kaikorai)

226   1998, Daniel Soper (Dunedin)

225   1997, Chris Finch (Pirates); 2013, Ben Patston (Southern)

223   1991, Mike Kenworthy (Kaikorai); 2003, Ryan Bambry (Dunedin)

215   1996, Brendan Laney (Kaikorai); 2006, Regan Finch (Pirates)

212   1996, Tutere Williams (Zingari-Richmond)

211   1990, Darryl Patterson (Southern); 1994, Dave Ross (University A)

210   1992, Tutere Williams (Zingari-Richmond)

207   1989, Darryl Patterson (Southern)

203   1992, Andre Bell (Southern); 1993, Graeme Dempster (Pirates)

202   1992, Glen Porter (Eastern)

200   1981, David Halligan (University A) 


 

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