Meet Hawke's Bay's new kid in town

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NATURAL TALENT: Luke Rooney has had an impressive league career, including five games in the New South Wales jersey, 140 games for the Penrith Panthers and six tests for the Kangaroos.

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Luke Rooney is not quite ready to give guided tours of his new home town.

In fact, since arriving in Napier a fortnight ago, the Australian's world has consisted of his West Quay apartment, the training pitch and the gym.

Don't expect any complaints from a bloke who's been on the professional footy circuit since he walked out the gates of St Dominic's College 10 years ago and joined Penrith's NRL squad.

Rooney is the rugby pro personified – an NRL premiership in 2003, five State of Origin appearances for New South Wales, six tests for the Kangaroos and a couple of seasons of rugby union in France for good measure.

Hawke's Bay's provincial scene should be a doddle, right?

Wrong, according to Rooney, who says that, at 27, he's still getting his head around his new code and, although he's got a few good years left, life after rugby.

"It is pretty hard switching codes," he said yesterday. "It's just so technical, union, compared to league. The rucks – I've never experienced anything like that. I hadn't ever played union until a year and a half ago, so it's still a huge learning curve for me.

"League was like second nature. I've played it all my life. Here I have to kick more and it's still pretty hard to come to grips with. I think I'm going all right and I'm really enjoying it, and that's the main thing."

Rooney says most of what he knows about rugby has been gleaned from 18 months alongside former All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga at Toulon.

"I've come over here now to Hawke's Bay and already in two weeks I've learned a lot from guys like Lowey [Karl Lowe], Kahn [Fotuali'i]. Everywhere I've been people say, `You should be doing this, it'll be easier for you', so I'm learning from everyone."

Including himself.

Rooney was famously quoted during a Kangaroos league tour in 2004, when asked what he thought of Prague during a players' day off: "I'd rather be in Penrith."

BORN and raised in the Blue Mountains area, he thought he'd never leave. The tattoo of a panther with "Premiers" inked over the top is testament to his devotion.

But at the end of 2008 the Panthers wing switched codes and headed to France and he says his experiences have broadened his horizons and made him think about his future beyond his contract with the Melbourne Rebels in next year's Super 15.

"I've done courses and stuff, but I'm just not sure what I want to get into after rugby. It's something I definitely have to decide soon, I haven't got that long.

"Because I was into it straight after school, rugby's been my whole life. I definitely need to have a look at what's around the corner because this can all end pretty suddenly."

A broken scapula in Toulon's final match of the French season may have helped jolt the reality that rugby as a profession has a limited shelf life.

But till recently Rooney admits he's never really had to consider anything other than playing sport after coming through a school that had thrown up league legends Brad Fittler, Greg Alexander, Des Hasler and Tim Sheens before him.

"I was at St Dominic's and it all happened so suddenly. From school I was straight to the NRL, so I've never had to think about getting a job other than rugby.

"It's something at my age that you definitely have to start thinking about."

Eight weeks on the sidelines have dulled some of that enjoyment during the Magpies' pre-season, where Rooney says he found New Zealand provincial rugby operates at a far greater speed than French Top 14.

But he believes he's ready to make an impact in the NPC, where he hopes he will be used primarily at fullback.

Whatever the case, he's been around long enough to take in his long stride whatever life and rugby throw up.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Luke Rooney
Age: 27
Size: 1.91m, 98kg
Position: Fullback/wing
League career: Penrith Panthers 2001-2008 (140 games), New South Wales 2004-05 (5 games), Kangaroos 2004-05 (6 tests)
Career notes: Won the NRL premiership in 2003, scoring two tries in Penrith's grand final win against the Sydney Roosters
Union career: Toulon 2008-2010, Hawke's Bay 2010, Melbourne Rebels 2011

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