Dan looking forward to 7s Temm-po
Preparing to start his first full season with Newcastle Falcons, Daniel Temm is raring to go for this weekend’s Premiership Rugby 7s series and looking to impress fans and coaches alike.
“We have a young, pretty exciting team with six or seven guys who featured last year and bring experience, but plenty of gas too so I think it’ll be exciting for people to watch with plenty of tries. We’ve got lots of speed and plenty of guys who can do all of the stepping and stuff so I think I’m going to be one of the ones looking after them and trying to get to the rucks or get the turnovers and get the ball to them as quickly as possible.
“I think we’re all looking forward to it and it’ll be a good weekend. I’ve played in a few 7s competitions before I came here and I enjoy 7s so I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be a good test for the boys but we’re going out to win every game like we always should, so let’s hope that’s the outcome come Saturday night.”
Hailing from the town of Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island, Temm originally arrived in the UK playing a very different sport. “I came over playing cricket in 2009-10; the season went OK and after it finished some people from the cricket club asked if I could play rugby. I’d played a bit at school so said I’d go down and have look.”
The club was North East league 1 side Old Crossleyans RFC, where Temm spent a year whilst living in an apartment at the rugby club house. “Some of the older guys there really taught me the ropes there. It was a good year playing in north east 1 and I really enjoyed it.”
After a year Temm moved on to National League 2 side Otley, where he spent 18 months before being spotted by Newcastle Falcons. Originally taken on for a month-long trial, Temm was brought into the club midway through last term and impressed on his debut, playing for the A Team against Northampton Saints.
A loan stint with National League 1 side Tynedale saw the talented forward pick up a string of man of the match awards as well as the club’s forward of the year award as voted for by his teammates, despite only half a season with the club. Returning to the Falcons as part of the club’s Senior Academy, Temm now begins 2014-15 as his first season on a full-time professional contract.
“At the end of last season Dean and John said they wanted me to try and put on a bit of weight, so I went away to New Zealand and ate like a mad dog! During pre-season the focus was on trying to keep that weight on and get fitter too and I think I’ve managed to do that.”
Not one to shy away from a challenge, the 23 year-old has enjoyed his first professional pre-season experience. “I love pre-season because you’re all directly comparable, whereas that’s not always the case on a rugby field, and I enjoy the competition. But we’ve gone off and done our team stuff too and that’s all been good so it’s been a god pre-season so far. There’s a great energy around the place now; we’ve made some good signings and there are some good voices around the team so hopefully we’ll get a good start to the year.”
Speaking of his own goals for the season, Temm’s ambitions are clear; “I’d love to get a Premiership game but I have loads of little goals. I’d like to try and feature in a few European games and obviously the A Team games on Monday night are a good chance to stand out; I know that Dean and John come along to those so if you do something there then maybe you’ll get a chance, but a Premiership start is the ultimate goal.”
Having already been compared to former Falcon Brent Wilson and fellow countryman Josh Kronfeld, what should Falcons fans expect from the New Zealander? “Hopefully just a mad Kiwi running around, although staying in the coaches defensive shapes of course! I enjoy the physical aspects of the game, being a bit of a nuisance in rucks and mauls, but I also like to run with the ball when I’ve got it in my hand so we’ll see where the best way for me to contribute is.
“If John says it’s to hang around in the backs and try to link up with them, or if he says I have a license to go round and be a bit of a nuisance then I’ll adapt to whichever, but I’d say a bit of physicality is what I’d like to bring.”
Pool D of the Premiership Rugby 7s Series will be held at Darlington Northern Echo Arena this Saturday, 2nd August. Tickets are only £10 for adults and £5 for juniors. For more information or to find out how to get yours click [here][1].
[1]: http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/premiership-rugby-7s—all-you-need-to-know
