Bedwell-Curtis relishes time at home after return from Japan

Will Johnston

Taranaki loose forward come lock Heiden Bedwell-Curtis storms down the field in last week's pre-season match in Manaia. Photo by LDV Photography.

Inglewood’s Heiden Bedwell-Curtis is looking forward to passing his experience on to the younger Taranaki players this year.

The 32-year-old will play for Taranaki in the National Provincial Championship this season after he returned from Japanese club Mitsubishi Dynaboars, where he spent five years.

With the hope of continuing with the club, his contract lapsed and it gave him a chance move back. He got to wear his beloved Inglewood jersey only once during the club season before he tore his groin.

Now fit, he said he just wants to get back and play some rugby in front of friends and family.

“I haven’t played a lot of rugby over the last couple of years,” said Bedwell-Curtis, who has played 25 Super Rugby matches. “It will be nice to get some minutes under the belt.”

Those minutes started when he featured in Taranaki’s pre-season campaign in Te Awamutu and Manaia. He scored a runaway try during the Yarrows centenary match against Wellington on Saturday.

In Taranaki’s opening match of the competition against Counties Manukau on Friday night at Yarrow Stadium, Bedwell-Curtis has been given the nod to start at an unfamiliar position of lock. It will be his first game for Taranaki since 2019, a season where he notched up seven matches, a total of just nine games for the province.

He received a heads up from coach Neil Barnes about the prospect of playing lock. It was confirmed when Scott Jury was ruled out for the season because of a pectoral muscle injury, coupled with the unknown availability of All Black Josh Lord and the yet-to-return Fiti Sa (knee). That leaves only Bedwell-Curtis and Jesse Parete to pack down in the second row.

But Bedwell-Curtis said he’s played lock before for Super Rugby teams and overseas, when there were adjustments to the team during games but hasn’t started there before.

“I’ve held down a couple of scrums there before. Let’s see how we go,” he said.

“The front row said I have to change my footwear and get bigger sprigs. I will get stuck in and push.”

When Bedwell-Curtis returned to the Taranaki environment, he admitted it was a strange feeling when he was one of the older players.

“The only guy above me is Michael Bent (37), then Jayson Potroz (31) is third. The group and dynamic have changed a lot.”

He still knows a lot of players in the squad but hasn’t played with the new ones.

“It’s been great for me to come in, share my experience, try and help those young guys come through and give back to the team,” he said.

The rest of the Taranaki side looks promising with the backline near full strength, despite the omission of Daniel Rona (injury).

Jayson Potroz is at his preferred position of first-five eighth over Stephen Perofeta, who is at fullback.

Hemopo Cunningham, Tom Florence and Kaylum Boshier form the loose forward trio in the other highlights.