By MARK CASHMAN

It’s a big weekend for any Greek boy and when you are a rugby playing Greek boy like Christian Kagiassis it’s a huge couple of days.

It’s Greek Orthodox Easter on Sunday and thousands of extended Greek families around the country will gather to celebrate one of the big occasions on their calendar.

Roast lamb, tsoureki (a sweet bread), red eggs and all the usual side dishes will be there, the meat usually on the spit by the time the sun rises on Sunday.

But before any of that happens and the extended Kagiassis family comes together there’s the not so small matter of Christian helping Southern Districts notch up their second win of the Shute Shield season against Northern Suburbs at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.

Kagiassis is the “Mr Fix It” in the Rebels backline, bouncing around from wing to flyhalf and now to fullback as Souths try to get their season into some sort of rhythm.

One win from three starts is not what Rebels coach Todd Louden had planned for the first month of the season, but there were signs against Warringah last weekend that this is a finals bound side.

“Yeah it was good win (v Warringah) after losing those first two games (against Eastern Suburbs and Eastwood),” Kagiassis told Rugby News.

“We’re been building slowly through this first month of the season through some tough games but everyone at the club is loving it and embracing the challenges that are in front of us.

“Yeah we’re all slotting into the style of play that Todd (Louden) wants us to use which is good, and the new guys are adapting quickly to what is required to get that rhythm into our game and play some exciting footy.

“Norths are an exciting team from one through to 15 so we can’t take anything for granted. Taking anything less than our A game to North Sydney Oval will mean we will come off second best.”

Souths have welcomed experienced former Leicester Tiger George Worth into their side this week after he came up from the Melbourne Rebels to get some Shute Shield game time.

Worth is an England Under 20 International with more than 60 caps for the Tigers in the premiership and will be an asset.

“I Googled him up when I heard George was joining us,” Kagiassis added. “And he’s going to bring some good experience to the backline group.

“We’re a relatively young and inexperienced in the backline so he’s a very welcome addition that’s for sure.”

But the fact remains that Souths will look to their roster of front rowers to win this game.

Andrew Tuala, who played at Norths in 2019, has been in rare form and he will be joined on the bench by Waratahs Joe Cotton and Tetera Faulkner as well as an Argentinian import and they are sure to come at Norths at scrum time.

Norths did have a few wobbles just before halftime in their big win over Gordon last weekend and they will have to be on their game in this area but the up tempo nature of the way that they play will come into effect late.

Dewald Dekker stabilised the scrum against Gordon and will start this weekend against Souths with Tyler Kearns playing an important role off the bench.

Dave Henaway returns too for Norths after being a groomsman at a wedding last weekend and he swaps out with Brad Hemopo.

Hemopo has been one of Norths best so far this season but work commitments as a teacher meant he was away on a camp all this week.

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It works well that Henaway gets a chance to start and keeps what has been an in-form unit on their toes and importantly fresh after a pretty hectic start to the season.

Norths took their chances well against the Highlanders and wingers Reece Mau’u and James Turner, who didn’t see too much ball last weekend, will need to take their chances.

If Souths are to be in this game they will need to have their defence on song and concentrate on shutting down the off-loading game that Norths have been able to do so well this season.

Either way it’s going to be one hell of an encounter.

FOOTNOTE: The Greek Orthodox Church follows the older Julian calendar, which often sets Orthodox Easter later than when Western Churches celebrate it. Sometimes both Easter celebrations are held on the same date, but Orthodox Easter tends to come a week or so after the Catholic/Protestant Easter, and can even arrive up to five weeks later.

IMAGE: MALCOLM CHUCK