LUKE Rosewall was not used to opposition forwards running straight at him in Timaru.
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That was how the Kiwi lock explained the ferocious shot he put on Maitland hard man Nick Davidson in Southern Beaches' 35-27 win over the Blacks at Ernie Calland Oval on Saturday.
Davidson collected a kick in his own quarter and wound up. The wrecking ball No.8 was at full pace when Rosewall hit him with everything.
A brick wall would normally pose no threat to Davidson, but Rosewall's perfectly-timed and executed tackle lifted him off the ground and into the turf.
"Big blokes don't normally run straight at me," Rosewall said laughing. "He did, so I thought I better show him what we do in Timaru."
Davidson bounced straight back up, but the hit was evidence of a new edge Rosewall and a horde of other fresh faces have added to the former whipping boys.
"Davo is as good a ball-runner as we have seen in this comp," Southern Beaches co-coach Ben Kinkade said. "The video of it doesn't do the hit justice.
"When you have half your team without any skeletons - they don't care about Wanderers, they don't care about Hamilton, they don't care about Maitland - you can play without any hangovers.
"Lucas played at a high level in South Canterbury. To play in those comps over there and survive in your early twenties says a bit.
"He is a hard working, tough second-rower.
"His rugby IQ, because he has played at that level in New Zealand, is a bonus for us. He can play whatever role we need him to play."
Rosewall, 23, joined Beaches for the 2020 season which was canned due to COVID-19.
Rather than go home, he stayed and convinced a few mates - halfback Liam Cooper, winger Chris Hogan and centre Marlon Adcock - to join him.
"I put out some feelers at the end of 2019," Rosewall said. "Southern Beaches approached me about coming over. They weren't doing to well and were struggling to win games. I said I'd loved to come on board and have a crack.
"When we didn't get to play, I stuck around. I am quite a loyal person and felt like I owed them something. It is good that we can play this year. I have brought some mates over. Two from Timaru and one from Invercargill.
"We all played together for Southern Magpies in Dunedin Premier competition. It is all physical rugby at home.
"Maitland was the first real test we have had here and the boys pulled it together.
"We didn't back down. That is what we are trying to drill into them. Never take a backward step."
Rosewall, who stands 193cm and weighs 115kg, and his mates share a house in Broadmeadow and he works as an adventure sports instructor at the Great Aussie Bush Camp in Tea Gardens.
"I was going to go to Ireland but I'm glad I made the decision to come to Newcastle first," Rosewall said.
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