The 42-year-old plumber who broke a 112-year-old record in Southland's shock Mitre 10 Cup win over Hawke's Bay
Even four years after his last appearance for Southland, veteran hooker Jason Rutledge stood as one of the province’s most revered rugby cult heroes.
His reputation within New Zealand’s southernmost province must have only grown stronger on Sunday, though, as the former Highlanders star returned to first-class action to help his beloved Stags defeat Hawke’s Bay in Invercargill.
In doing so, the 42-year-old became the oldest player ever to pull on the maroon and purple jersey, beating the long-standing record held by utility back Isaac Jenkins, who played his last game for Southland as a 40-year-old in 1908.
The feat is made all the more impressive by the fact that only eight players in New Zealand’s lengthy provincial rugby history have been older than Rutledge when they have taken to the field.
A plumber by trade, Rutledge answered an SOS call put out by Southland head coach Dale MacLeod after a finger injury ruled Talemaitonga Tuapati out of action for the team’s season-opener against the Magpies.
With youngster Flynn Thomas also out for the season, 60-game former Highlander was named to play in New Zealand’s premier provincial competition for the first time since 2016, starting on the bench as a back-up to Greg Pleasants-Tate.
The wait for Rutledge’s unlikely return ended in the 73rd minute of the match, when he replaced Pleasants-Tate – who had scored both of Southland’s tries – and helped close the game out for the Stags to secure a shock 16-10 victory.
Show your appreciation for Jason Rutledge with a RT as he make his return to the #MItre10Cup at 42-years-old.#Legend @RugbySouthland
?: @skysportnz pic.twitter.com/gFkRi4sfKd
— Mitre 10 Cup (@Mitre10Cup) September 13, 2020
The win, only Southland’s fourth in as many years, marked 20 years since Rutledge first played for his hometown side, with his debut coming in the same year that new All Blacks lock Tupou Vaa’i was born in.
At the other end of the spectrum, he is older than two of this season’s five Super Rugby Aotearoa head coaches – Leon MacDonald (also 42-years-old, turns 43 six days after Rutledge) and Aaron Mauger (39).
Already a Southland record-holder with 140 provincial games to his name, Rutledge still has some way to go before he topples A.E Wood, who played for Hawke’s Bay at 48-years-old in 1911, as the country’s oldest provincial player of all-time.
The son of former All Blacks flanker and fellow Southland legend Leicester, Rutledge – who will celebrate his 43rd birthday in December – told Stuff last week that the chance to ingrain himself into the province’s record books was one that he would savour.
“If you can get a name in a book it’s pretty cool for my kids or my grandkids to look and see Dad’s name there, or whatever. It is special,” he said.
Dependant on whether Tuapati recovers from his injury, Rutledge could add to his tally of appearances for Southland this week when the Stags travel to Rotorua to face Bay of Plenty on Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments