New Bishop’s Stortford flanker Sam Johnson targets professional rugby after moving from New Zealand

Having left England at the age of two when his family emigrated to New Zealand, Sam Johnson is hoping a return to these shores leads to a long stay.

The openside flanker approached Bishop’s Stortford with a view to coming over to play for them as he targets breaking into the professional game.

Johnson, who was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, was a toddler when his parents decided New Zealand would be a better place for him and his sister to grow up.

The family home is in the beachside town of Orewa - about an hour north of Auckland - and the back rower has been playing his rugby for Silverdale as well as being selected for the representative side North Harbour Development.

Johnson, 25, was thrust into the thick of the action at Stortford as he arrived on the afternoon of the club’s annual sponsors’ evening on August 14. He had been travelling with his family and flew in from the southern French city of Nice that afternoon.

This is his first time back in England for over two decades apart from a seven-day stay in 2009 when it was cheaper to fly here from Miami and on to Turkey rather than taking the direct route.

“It’s a good opportunity for me to come over and play,” said Johnson, who has been playing rugby since the age of four. “My goal is to play and get picked up to play professionally full time.

“I can just fully focus on rugby, not be working and just go for it. I’m very excited to be here and it should be good.”

Back home, Johnson was working as the general manager at his dad’s canola oil business Flower Power.

It means there is a vacancy to fill in the family firm, but his parents are keen for him to grab the chance to make a name for himself in England with both hands.

“My dad’s very supportive of it and can see it’s a really good opportunity for me,” said Johnson.

“My mum’s stoked and it’s a good reason for her to come back home to catch up with all her girlfriends.”

Johnson is excited about the chance to test himself in National 1 and help his new team-mates put in some good performances.

And he wants to catch the eye of the supporters as he bids to be a thorn in the side of opponents.

“I don’t know if they call it this here, but back home they call me a pincher,” said Johnson. “I’m good at stealing the ball and being a nuisance in the rucks playing openside flanker.

“There will probably be a fair bit of me getting thrown around and stealing the ball, getting out wide on the ball carries as well. I just love tackling all day.”