Shute Shield finals: Boston Kerapa’s amazing rugby journey, Norths v Gordon preliminary final

He’s the accidental rugby young gun who had to learn how to play again after having two finger tips amputated in an accident. Now he’s in the Shute Shield preliminary finals.

Boston Kerapa made his first grade debut for Northern Suburbs this year. Pic: Clay Cross/SPORTSPICS

He’s the young country gun who thought he was playing rugby league before discovering months later he was involved in a different footy code altogether.

Now backrower Boston Kerapa - somewhat incredibly given the tips of two fingers were amputated in an accident - is an integral part of a Northern Suburbs rugby’s campaign to win the 2022 Shute Shield.

In the lead-up to Sunday’s preliminary final against Gordon at Pittwater Park, the 20-year-old revealed as a kid he enrolled to play what he thought he was rugby league - the game that bought his footy playing father to Nelson Bay - only to discover much later he was playing rugby.

“I had no idea it’s wasn’t rugby league. I was just playing it and loving it,” said the young player whose father Jason got picked up in the late 1990s by the Newcastle Knights and put in a local feeder club at Nelson Bay.

“The Nelson Bay Gropper sent out a graduating letter to your house asking if you’d like to play after doing the Walla Rugby program.

Northern Suburbs player Boston Kerapa made his first grade debut this year. Pic: Clay Cross/SPORTSPICS

“Mum showed me the letter and I said I wanted to play. But I thought I was playing rugby league.

“I didn’t realise, not for ages, that it wasn’t and I just keep playing the game.”

Kerapa, who works an apprentice chippie on the northern beaches, said his journey to first grade hasn't been without incident.

Boston Kerapa’s father was a rugby league player.

“I have two fingers partially amputated, the finger tips to the top joint,’’ he said of an accident with a skip bin just before his 19th birthday.

“I had six weeks off and had to learn how to pass and catch the footy again but I try not to let it affect me too much anymore.

“In the back of my head I thought it would hurt my footy. At the start the nerve endings became hyper sensitive. I'd cut through them and they were freaking out, yelling ‘where’s the rest of my finger’.

The young gun playing against Randwick earlier this year.

“Eventually I could catch but to pass was different. I had to reteach myself.

“Now it doesn't make any different and half the time people don't even notice.

“And strangely, my hand writing has improved.’’

Norths take on Gordon after a weeks rest. Gordon come into the match after a thrilling win over Randwick last weekend.

SHUTE SHIELD 2022 PRELIMINARY FINALS

SUNDAY

Sydney Uni v Eastwood. Pittwater Rugby Park 1:20pm

Norths v Gordon, Pittwater Rugby Park 3:40pm