American could feature for Province in Currie Cup

After trading UCT’s navy and white stripes for the stars and stripes of America last year, Ikey Tigers Varsity Cup captain JJ Gagiano now has the opportunity to don stripes of a different kind – the famous blue and white hoops of Western Province.

Gagiano – who made his US Test debut in November 2008 – led UCT with aplomb during the 2009 Varsity Cup, having also captained the side during last year’s inaugural tournament when they topped the log.

The hard-working No. 8 certainly impressed new Western Province forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot in the process, with the former Pukke mentor inviting Gagiano to train with Western Province’s 2009 Absa  Currie Cup squad.

“Matthew Proudfoot spoke to Dobbo (UCT head coach John Dobson) early on in the league season,” explained Gagiano in conversation with the official In-Site Athlete Management (ISAM) website

. “He then gave me a call and asked me to go down to the WP practice ground to have a chat.

“Basically, Matthew made no promises, and I told him about my possible US commitments, but he’s keen to give me an opportunity to prove myself by training with the WP Currie Cup team.

“He obviously watched me during last year’s Varsity Cup, and this year too, and he sees me as a similar player to Pukke captain Willem van der Wal. He wants to give me a chance for WP, but at this stage it all depends on what happens with the US.”

Whilst Gagiano has played most of his rugby for UCT over the past two seasons at No. 8, Proudfoot sees the former Bishops pupil as a ball-carrying blindside flank – a position that he filled in Western Province Super League action for the Ikey Tigers this past weekend.

“Funnily enough, I actually prefer blindside flank, as your role is a lot more defined on the side of the scrum,” said the Ikeys star.

“I know this might sound like a cliché, but I would play in any position in order to play Currie Cup rugby for WP. It doesn’t matter where I play, or who I play against, I will simply be doing my best to justify Matthew’s faith in me thus far.”

Gagiano added: “I’ve certainly not done things the ‘normal’ way… I’ve not played any representative rugby thus far and I’m not the biggest guy around; I’ve had to prove a lot of people wrong to make it into the WP training squad.

“(But) I’m lucky that I now have a chance to realise a boyhood dream of mine and I will certainly make sure I take any chance that comes my way over the next few days, weeks or months in order to tick that box in terms of the goals I have set myself.”

For now, however, Gagiano will continue working in the gym with the WP Currie Cup squad, until the rugby specific training begins next week.

He then has to report to America by May 24 ahead of their mid-year Tests against Ireland and Wales, before the Eagles take part in the Churchill Cup (a tournament involving the US Eagles, Canada, England ‘A’, Ireland ‘A’, Argentina ‘A’ and Georgia) in mid-June.

After the Churchill Cup – assuming, of course, that he will be involved – Gagiano is also hoping to be part of the US’s final two Rugby World Cup qualifiers against Canada on July 4 and 11 – two matches that will decide the 2011 RWC fate of the Americans. “There is still loads of training to be done and rugby to be played,” said the unassuming Gagiano.

“As I’ve said before, I would play every game of rugby if I could – be it for UCT, Western Province or America, but I have to be patient and see how things work out over the next few weeks.”

But right now, and despite a potentially busy playing schedule over the next two months, Gagiano is focussed on his commitments with UCT -especially