Elevate+ Player Spotlight: James O'Reilly HOBM

Hutt Old Boys Marist hooker James O'Reilly has started his Premier career this season. Out of Hutt International Boys' School in 2012, O'Reilly has returned to the club that he played for as a kid and has so far started for the defending first round champions in their Swindale Shield matches against Wainuiomata, the Wests Roosters, Marist St Pat's and Poneke. He has yet to taste defeat as part of the run-on side, and he scored a terrific ?runaway try inside the first minute of play against MSP on ANZAC Day with his first ever touch of the ball playing at home on the Hutt Rec. He backed that up three days later with a great game against Poneke. Photographed above (on the right) driving through a ruck with his teammates against Poneke - with 200-game veteran Polonga Pedro second on the left.

Name: James O'Reilly.

Club: Hutt Old Boys Marist.

Playing position: Hooker.

Secondary school attended: Hutt International Boys' School.

Premier debut: Versus Wainuuiomata, 2013.

First rugby club/team played for as a junior: Hutt Old Boys Marist.

Earliest rugby memory: Scoring a try against Avalon for the HOBM U7s.

Playing position (s) growing up: No. 8 and prop.

Favourite memory from school/First XV rugby: Winning the Premier 2 Final; playing Rongotai College in HIBS's first ever ?Premier 1 game.

Age-group teams or other representative teams played for: Wellington Centurions, Wellington U18s, Wellington Secondary Schools rugby league team.

Favourite rugby player: Keven Mealamu - the nicest person you will ever meet.

Favourite ?ground to play on: HIBS Number 1.

Hobbies outside of rugby: Surfing; cricket.

Outside of rugby: I am doing an electrical apprenticeship.

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite movie and music: Lord of the Rings and Six60.

The last book I read was: Richie McCaw ‘The Openside'.

My signature dish is: Burritos

A motto I live by is: "Dreams don't work unless you do."