Sam Darry of the Blues scores a try during the Super Rugby Pacific match between the Auckland Blues and Fijian Drua at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Photo: photosport
Christchurch born Sam Darry makes his Super Rugby homecoming this weekend but if he gets his way, Crusaders fans will be disappointed.
Darry is part of the Blues side hoping to upset the defending champions in the Garden City on Saturday night, as the teams reignite one of Super Rugby's fiercest rivalries.
Darry grew up in Christchurch and will come up against a number of teammates from the Canterbury NPC team in the Crusaders squad, though the pleasantries will need to wait until post match.
The towering 22-year-old lock has long had the fixture circled on his calendar.
"Mum and dad are ringing up trying to get tickets for the game for friends. I'm good mates with a lot of the boys in the team so it'd be awesome to lock horns and go to battle with them," Darry said.
The former Christ's College captain, and Maadi Cup winning rower, came through the Canterbury academy with Crusaders Dom Gardiner, Fergus Burke, Tom Christie and Dallas McLeod.
"We are all good mates both on and off the field. So to kind of be able to go up against them, guys that I have rubbed shoulders with in different environments is always pretty special."
While he hopes none of his Crusaders friends get one over him in any one on one battles, he is far more concerned with the final outcome.
"I'll be trying my best not to but if it does happen, it's not the end of the world as long as we come out with the right result I'm not too bothered."
Darry is under no illusions as to the challenge that awaits last year's beaten finalists the Blues.
"They've been the benchmark for as I can remember so to go down there and beat them on their home turf would be awesome, but obviously, we respect them and what they've done over the last few years, we know it's not gonna be an easy task."
Despite bring Christchurch residents, Darry's parents will be rooting for their son's side.
"Definitely for us. Dad is actually Dunedin born and bred so he's got no conflict, but Mum finally came over about a couple years ago."
Darry said there is certainly no bad blood regarding his move to Auckland.
"They respected my decision and I've still got a lot of respect for them as a team and as an organisation Obviously still excited to go down there and play them though. The team and academy that I came through and that gave me so much."
After an early season injury, Darry has started to hit top form at the business end of the Super Rugby pacific season.
Sam Darry, in action for Canterbury, will go head to head against his NPC teammates this weekend. Photo: photosport
"I feel like I'm warming my way in now. The coaches have shown some real belief in me, given me an opportunity to come out and just be myself up here, so I'm really thankful for that."
Of course, making the All Blacks is the ultimate goal for Darry.
"Ask any footy player in New Zealand and that's the goal but I feel it's a wee way away for now. I'm just focusing on trying to play my best footy here and do the best for the team here and hopefully, the results for the Blues will kind of come with it."
It hasn't been ideal preparation for the Blues who trained in torrential rain on Tuesday morning.
"Beaudy (Barrett) actually touched on it out there. If we can do it in weather like this, then we can only imagine what we can do if it's dry. So I think it's an awesome way to kind of test our basic skills, put us under a bit of pressure."
After last week's scare against Moana Pasifika, Darry said they can't afford a drop in performance against the 11-time champions.
"Like we saw when we are five to ten per cent off whether it's in our mind or skill set, we see how close the difference is between having a good performance or not. We saw that in the weekend and we know that this weekend, we're gonna have to be a step up, obviously."
He said while they respect their opposition, the Blues trust their own game.
"Obviously we address the fact that they're very formidable foe but at the same time we know that when when we play our game and we nail our structures, we can be just as formidable, if not more."
Sam Darry was also a Maadi Cup winning rower at Christ's College. Photo: photosport
