27 July 2006 Blatch the younger has eye on Canterbury rugby slot

There could be a secret Southland weapon in Canterbury's Under-19 representative rugby team when it tours to Australia in September.

Openside flanker Robert Blatch, a New Zealand Under-19 trialist earlier this year and Southland Under-18 Player of the Year in 2005, has been named in a squad of 36 from which the Canterbury Under-19 team will be chosen following the finals of the Christchurch metro competition mid-next month. (August)

Robert, the son of Ken and Robyn Blatch of Waiparu and grandson of past Southland hooker Jack Borland, is a Canterbury resident these days as the holder of a Lincoln University Rugby Scholarship.

At Lincoln he is studying for a Bachelor of Commerce and Management degree alongside older brother Haydn, who received a Diploma of Farm Management with Distinction at this year's Lincoln University capping ceremony and is now working towards a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) degree.

"The Blatch brothers have shown themselves to be real achievers," says Lincoln University Scholarships Manager, Jane Edwards. "Robert has his Rugby Scholarship and last year Haydn won a Meat New Zealand Agribusiness Scholarship and the ER Hudson Prize for the student who shows the greatest promise of becoming a successful farmer.”

In rugby Robert has been achieving all his life. He was a Southland representative for eight consecutive years through the school grades and at Gore High School captained the 1st XV which won the Southland Wide Under-18 competition last year.

Haydn too, a hooker, represented Southland through his school years and also captained Gore High School's 1st XV.

The pathway to provincial honours was marked out for them by a third Blatch brother, Philip, the oldest of the three, who also played age group and weight for age rugby for Southland while at school. These days Philip, a prop, turns out for Riversdale Seniors.

In Canterbury this year Robert is captain of the Merivale-Lincoln University Huntaway Colts Team which is currently in top spot in the Christchurch metro competition.

"Robert was always very focused on his rugby right from the earliest age," say his parents, who farm a 270-hectare sheep and beef property on the Riversdale-Waikaia Road.

"It's as if he was born with a rugby ball in his hands," says dad Ken.

"He just switches on without prompting every year as the rugby season rolls around and he's always out training, getting himself ready well ahead of time."

Will he bring his skills back to Southland?

"I think that Robert will go wherever rugby takes him," says Ken. "He's determined to progress as far as he can with the sport."

Ian Collins, Communications Group, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand