Perrers flying the Australian flag in Wellington club rugby

Old Boys University’s Dougal Perrers evading the tackle of Paremata-Plimmerton fullback Esi Komaisavai to score the second of his two tries against them a fortnight ago. Photo: Stewart Baird.

• By Steven White

How many Australians down the years have come over to Wellington off their own back for a rugby OE?

Old Boys University’s Dougal Perrers did so at the start of last year, and the Brisbane born and bred loose forward is thriving in his second year in the Billygoats’ Premier side.

Ahead of the 2023 season he bought a one-way ticket to Wellington with no preconceived notions of which club he would play and where he would end up. He subsequently joined Old Boys University and immediately fitted in like a glove, on and off the field.

Eighteen months later Perrers is the starting No. 8 for the OBU team that is in the box seat to win this year’s Swindale Shield and perhaps go on and do the double and win the Jubilee Cup at the end of July.

“I’m loving playing for the Goats,” said Perrers. “I think it is probably the best team that I have been part of. We’re gelling together well, and everyone is really motivated to become better rugby players and it rubs off on everyone.”

Two matches ago he scored two tries as part of a Player of the Match performance as OBU sailed to a 45-14 statement win over last year’s first round champions and beaten Jubilee Cup finalists Paremata-Plimmerton.

“We just went out there as hard as we could and we were too good on the day, it was nice, especially because they beat us twice last year.”

Scoring the first of two tries against Paremata-Plimmerton, this one off the back of a scrum, the second saw him slice through from 20 metres out in broken play. 

After starting at No. 8 for a Wellington representative side against a Manawatu one in Palmerston North last Wednesday night, he was involved in a different kind of match altogether. Rumours of Ardie Savea playing for Oriental-Rongotai didn’t come to fruition, but OBU still had to dig deep to hold off the Magpies in Miramar, 19-13.

A key to OBU’s success this season is their depth, in almost all positions. Perrers also praised the coaching staff. “We have got some really great coaches, in all our teams, and [OBU Academy Manager] Tomasi Palu is awesome as well.”

Coming from the hard, firm grounds of Brisbane, OBU’s style of play suits his game. “We play fast and we like to keep the ball alive but try and be quite physical on defence as well. It suits the way I play.”

Perrers played the first match of this season at blindside flanker and 10 straight games since at No. 8.

“Round two was my second or third game ever playing No. 8. My background is predominantly an openside, but I was playing blindside last year. Then Boston Hunt was out against Wainuiomata, and I took the eight jersey and never gave it back!”

Packing down at No. 8 in round 4 against Hutt Old Boys Marist.

Perrers is from Brisbane and was a Colts player for the University of Queensland club for three seasons. Concussion issues (all clear now) forced him to take a year off playing in 2022 and he was working in the popular Direct Factory Outlet (DFOs) Stores precinct near the airport when in walked a Kiwi customer who asked him if he played rugby and would he like to play in Wellington.

“It was Grant Cederwall. I met him and we just got along well. He took my number then he lost it, so he called the store up. He got the only girl who would know how to contact me – my best mate’s girlfriend – and she sent him my number.

“A month later I jumped on a plane and came over.”

It wasn’t quite as carefree as that. He was a year off finishing his teaching qualification, so he landed himself a job in advance as a teacher aide at Scots College where he works now. The job comes with accommodation as he assists in the boarding house.

Asked about the differences in styles in club rugby between Wellington and Brisbane, Perrers says the physicality is the main difference. “Just bigger bodies here and bigger contact. But what I like about it over here is that it opens up, it is physical and quite brutal at times but then it will open up and there is flair and offloads are encouraged. Whereas back home it is fast rugby, but it is more structured.”

Perrers attended noted rugby school Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane (having produced 24 Wallabies including John Eales and Wallaby/All Black Des Connor who has a nearby park named after him), which has a number of rugby teams at all levels.

The college season is short though. “Unlike New Zealand, the school season is only played in term 2 and we play several matches. To keep playing beyond that, we play for clubs and for represeantive teams. I played in a tournament called the Junior Gold Cup where they split Australia into regions, and I played age grade Queensland 7s, so there’s plenty of rugby to play if you are hungry and keen, just a bit different than here.”

“What I love about New Zealand is we are just rugby mad here. At home there are lots of sporting choices. The appetite for rugby is down at the moment, but it’s getting better, and it is going to come back.”

At his job at Scots College, he is helping with the senior rugby programme on a peripheral level only, mostly assisting OBU’s Pete McFarland and the second XV on an occasional basis. “But I also coach a year 7 and 8 team, I help out with the little fellas so that is a good way to get involved.”

Beyond this season, he is unsure what he will be doing, depending on how OBU goes and how any representative opportunities present themselves once the club season is done.

What about any rugby playing mates in Brisbane?

“I have had a couple of messages from guys in Australia about the pathways open here and whether I think its achievable to be able to crack NPC from club rugby over here, so we’ll see!”

This Saturday OBU meet Marist St Pat’s for the Jack Lamason Trophy. Lamason was also a No. 8, who captained Wellington representative teams in both rugby and cricket in the 1930s. If OBU win and the cards fall their way, they could have the Swindale Shield in the bag this weekend with a round to spare.