Year 13 Roxburgh Area School pupil Jonty McKinnel has been named captain of the New Zealand Barbarians Area Schools team.
The openside is one of six South Islanders named in the 23-strong squad and one of 10 returning players from 2015.
The team will play its annual fixture against the Harlequins under-18 team in Hamilton in September.‘‘I'm pretty stoked to take on a pretty major leadership role in the team,'' he said.
McKinnel plays for Dunstan High School in the Otago premier schools competition.
A natural leader, he is co-captain of the team and a vital cog in the pack.
His coach Jacque Kemp believes he is a young man with a promising future in the game.
"He is my best player,'' Kemp said.
"When he is not on the field ... we struggle without him.''
"He has the skills of any back. He is not a big, big kid but he trains really hard and he is super fit. I don't think there is anybody in the competition that can match his fitness.''
He is "all over the park'' and makes the covering tackles others are too tired to get back and make. He is also a good ball carrier, with a wonderful off-load.
McKinnel, who keeps himself fit competing in multisport events during the off-season, sees himself as a specialist openside but does play at the boot of the scrum for Dunstan when required.
"I prefer openside. It is more loose and you can get in the back line a bit and help out there.''
It is also where his hero Richie McCaw played.
"He is my inspiration.''
McKinnel will move to Dunedin next year and plans to study health science. He wants to be a personal trainer and will continue playing rugby.
He has not lined up a club yet but Kaikorai is at the top of his list.
If he does join the Demons, he will find himself battling for a spot in the side with another promising tearaway, former Otago Boys' High School loosie Slade McDowall.
