Bernie happy to be back in scarlet
It's always handy when a former Junior All Black turns up for the club, particularly when it's Bernie Upton who has already been in three Jubilee Cup-winning MSP sides.
Four weeks ago, Bernie arrived home from a year-long stint with the Toshiba club in Tokyo. For two seasons before that, he played for Connaught in Ireland.
'I've been really enjoying it back here,' he says, 'although the first game was a bit of a shock after 7 to 8 weeks of no training.'
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| Bernie's father Keith, who managed the senior 1s in recent seasons, recently celebrated his birthday with this cake. |
A former Hurricanes and Chiefs player, Bernie was in the Junior All Blacks in 2005 and 2006. At 198 cm tall and weighing 116 kg, he's added more than his share to one of the bigger packs MSP has fielded in recent years.
Now 30, he last donned a scarlet jersey early in 2009 before heading for Ireland, and he's noted the youth of many premier players since he's returned. 'Their ability is as good, if not better than it ever was, but the standard across-the-board may have dropped a little because of the age factor. The experience isn't the same and it's bound to affect teams higher up because players haven't done the same apprenticeship at club level.'
He's enjoyed reconnecting with his old club, and with former and current teammates Kas Lealamanu and Norm Broughton at his new job with Konica Minolta. He's settled back in Wellington with wife Alena and two-year-old Laila and two-month-old Isaac.
A St Pat's Silverstream old boy, Bernie will be heading out to old stamping grounds this Saturday when the premiers travel to Maidstone Park to take on Upper Hutt. The side will be bolstered by the return of lock Lua Lokotui who has been away with the Tongan team in recent weeks.
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