Taupo Sports Rugby Club player, Gary Mansfield, will celebrate his 200th game today against PioPio at Owen Delaney Park.
Mansfield has worn the black and white rugby jersey for 13 years and after a successful career which included captaining the team in the 2018 season.
His love for the game kept him putting on the colours and running on to the field with his teammates each week.
“I just love doing it. The whole team thing” Mansfield said.
It was Mansfield’s brother that initially got him into the game, convincing him to come down to the rugby field for a game when he was 20 years old.
“Back in 2008, he told me to come down and have a run-around and I remember thinking, oh, I don’t know about that,” he said.
Even though he was unsure of what rules were in play, Mansfield, who is a lock, took to the field and was thrown straight in the deep end of the A team.
It was a big commitment, but has seen him celebrate four King Country Championships in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019 and he is hoping his team will take it away for the fifth year.
Mansfield’s 200th game kicks off today at Owen Delaney Park at 2:30 pm.
