By Jeff D'Andrea

Dragons propped up by Elphinstone in win over All Blacks

May 29, 2018 | 9:27 PM

Connor Elphinstone is a bonafide natural when it comes to rugby.

Last year, the 16-year-old prop for the Saskatchewan Rivers Dragons high school rugby club made the Under-16 provincial team—in his first ever year of playing rugby.

“I don’t know, I think it was bit of luck, bit of skill. I was working my butt off, and I made it,” Elphinstone said.

Elphinstone went on to represent Saskatchewan at the Canadian Rugby Championships in Calgary, guiding them to a 1-2 finish in the round robin at the Under-16 level.

“It was a whole other level,” Elphinstone said. “You get the taste of rugby here, but if you make your provincial team, it steps up. Everything’s harder, everything’s faster. Everything’s more.”

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Now, Elphinstone hopes to build on that in his sophomore season. He was pushing his weight around from the prop position on Tuesday in the Dragons’ 12-10 victory over the All Blacks from Saskatoon on Max Clunie Field.

For Elphinstone, he returned to the field for the first time after suffering a concussion in a match two weeks ago. He made it a point to get the ball immediately at the start of the game and plow up the middle, dragging up to four or five defenders trying to put him to the ground.

“At first, everyone gets that little ‘what’s going to happen’ but after you get your first hit, it’s always ‘bam. You’re there. You got it, and you’re getting them,’” Elphinstone said.

Elijah MacPherson and Mason Harris scored the tries for the Dragons in the first half, with Garrett Simpson making good on one conversion. The score stayed that way until late in the game when the All Blacks made their push with two late tries from Luke Wilson. Both went unconverted, giving the Dragons the 12-10 victory.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW