Rugby: Spencer turning out for 10s

Former All Black No 10 Carlos Spencer will turn out for the Spartans at today’s 10s tournament at...
Former All Black No 10 Carlos Spencer will turn out for the Spartans at today’s 10s tournament at Miller Park. Photo by Linda Robertson

The King is in town - King Carlos Spencer, that is.

He will take to Miller Park, Green Island, for the second running of the Spartans 10s tournament today.

The 40-year-old former All Black, who has just signed a three-year deal as an assistant coach with the Munakata Sanix Blues in Japan, will play for the Spartans, one of 16 teams in the tournament.

He will play alongside former All Blacks Pita Alatini and Kees Meeuws, and former Highlanders Brendan Laney and Romi Ropati.

‘‘I'm looking froward to chucking the boots on and having a bit of a run around,'' Spencer said.‘‘It's good to have a catch-up with some guys I haven't seen for a while and it should be fun.

‘‘The fitness will be all right, I'm still running quite a bit. But I don't know how the contact will go. I will probably have a few bumps and bruises the next day.''

The game of 10s is played by five forwards and five backs, and is played over two 10-minute halves.

Tournament organiser Shane Waldron lured Spencer to Dunedin for the event with help from friend and rugby agent David Miller.

‘‘I got asked a few months ago if I wanted to come down and have a round around. I thought, ‘Why not?' I'm always keen to chuck the boots on . . . especially with some of the old fellas.''

Spencer, who played 35 tests for the All Blacks from 1995 to 2004, will also hold a coaching clinic before he heads to Auckland tomorrow.

He was head coach of South African side the Eastern Province King's in 2014, before being relegated to an assistant coach at the start of last year's Currie Cup.

Spencer resigned from the team a month later but continued to live in South Africa. However, he will move to Japan in April to take up his new job with the Sanix Blues.

He hopes a successful stint there will set him up to return to New Zealand as a coach in the future.

‘‘I have always wanted to one day get back to Auckland and get involved with the Blues one day,'' he said.‘‘I'd love to get back there and help out. I've got a massive passion for the Blues.''

Spencer and the Spartans will be in action at 9am today, when they play Condors on field one.

Waldron said Spencer was still looking in ‘‘pretty good nick'' and would no doubt play well.

Despite bad weather a year ago, the event attracted a good crowd and raised $11,000 to go to the welfare of injured rugby players.

In addition to the Spartans, the tournament features three teams from Invercargill, one from Oamaru and a bunch of Dunedin club sides.

An Otago Boys' High School side, made up of previous and current players, won the tournament a year ago and is back to defend its title.

King's High School has also entered a team of past and present players.

Twenty teams initially contacted Waldron to enter the tournament, but he had to limit it to 16 teams.

However, he has plans for the event to be played over two days next year, which will allow more teams to play.

The second division final will be played at 4.30pm today, followed by the first division grand final at 5pm.

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