A springboard to a higher calling

JONATHAN CAMERON/Manawatu Standard

TAKING A STAND: Powa Products Rugby Equipment owner Chris Deighton in his Feilding workshop where he designed and built a contraption for the All Blacks to practise their lineout.

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The All Blacks' secret weapon for winning the World Cup, or at least a lineout or two during the upcoming overseas tour, comes from Feilding.

But it's not a lanky lock or a hooker with a bullseye throw – it's an aluminium platform which allows locks to be stationed at their optimum jumping height without the need for props to lift.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry, who is tasked with straightening out the shonky lineout, put the innovation to use at training sessions ahead of the end-of-year Japan and Europe tour.

Developer Chris Deighton had one week to transform a stick figure drawing into a safe, adjustable and easily transportable contraption.

Last week he watched hookers Andrew Hore and Corey Flynn fire bullets to locks Jason Eaton and Tom Donnelly, who stood on top of the platforms in their rugby socks.

The sturdy platforms can extend to 1.6m high and can be collapsed to fit into small carry bags.

"The players have to make sure they don't act the goat up there and fall off, it's quite a height," Mr Deighton said.

"They probably used them for half an hour with instructions from Graham Henry to use them twice a week when they're on tour."

Mr Deighton hoped his invention would help solve the All Blacks' lineout woes and fix accuracy and timing issues, but of course there's much more to it than standing on a platform, he said.

His company, Powa Products Rugby Equipment, has supplied training gear, including tackle bags and hydraulic scrum machines, to the All Blacks for the past five years.

The team even has Powa scrum machines based in England, South Africa and Australia for the All Blacks to use on tour.

The company is the official supplier of scrum machines to USA Rugby and official technical supplier to Leinster Rugby in Ireland.

Technology has come a long way since Mr Deighton booted a rugby ball around the paddock and he cringes when he sees an old steel or wood scrum machine.

"We put a lot of development into safety. A lot of the old ones were pretty dangerous."

While Mr Deighton wouldn't divulge his favourite All Black he said he was "110 per cent" behind the Save the Turbos campaign.

"It's very important the Turbos stay in this competition; it's just so important for Manawatu rugby."

- © Fairfax NZ News