Blues lock Josh Goodhue of Kawakawa signs 8-year-old Arama Schultz's new T-shirt while Kayde Davis-Cooper, 9, looks on. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Blues lock Josh Goodhue of Kawakawa signs 8-year-old Arama Schultz's new T-shirt while Kayde Davis-Cooper, 9, looks on. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Blues players hope a three-day tour of Northland will help them reconnect with the small towns where many of their top players first picked up a ball.
The Blues Super Rugby franchise is supposed to represent Auckland, North Harbour and Northland, but the Northland part of the equation has too often been neglected.
Captain Patrick Tuipulato, who also plays lock for the All Blacks, said this week's tour was the start of putting that right.
''We're trying to mend the relationship between Northland and the Blues. It's always Northland that seems to miss out, even though a lot of our team — like Rieko Ioane, Sam Nock, Josh Goodhue — are staunch Northlanders. We're doing our best to get out here and not just pay lip service.''
Sixteen members of the Blues squad, helped by students from Northland College and Kaikohe Intermediate, braved heavy rain to paddle the waka tangata Mahanga. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The squad headed north in a fleet of campervans on Tuesday, stopping off at 14 schools and clubs to hand out team merchandise and about 250 pairs of re-purposed boots from the Blues Best Boot Forward programme.
On Wednesday the squad split into groups with some stacking shelves at New World in Kerikeri, a few dropping in to Kerikeri Retirement Village and others visiting early childhood centres, while 16 players braved the wettest day so far this year by taking a waka out on the Bay.
The rugby players were joined by students from Northland College and Kaikohe Intermediate, as well as young paddlers from Waitangi Waka Ama Kaihoe, on a twin-hulled waka captained by Hone Mihaka.
Blues player Joel Cobb is still smiling after a soaking in a waka paddled by teammates and Northland College students. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Maybe the weather wasn't quite what the Blues expected from the winterless North but they grinning broadly as they disembarked after their 40-minute paddle from Waitangi boat ramp.
The waka trip celebrated the start of a year-long partnership between the Blues and the police-run youth charity Blue Light.
Blue Light, in particular Senior Constable Rob Cameron, has been instrumental in getting youth involved in waka ama at Waitangi.
Youth aid officer Senior Constable Rob Cameron steadies the waka as captain Hone Mihaka recites a karakia. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Northland College head boy Wayne Hetaraka and head girl Diarvion Kukutai were among those who got a drenching in the waka.
Diarvion was thankful to the Blues for taking time out to go paddling with her Kaikohe schoolmates, and said she was considering switching allegiance from the NRL's Raiders to Super Rugby and the Blues.
''It was cool and exciting, but it was challenging too — because of the weather and the paddling as well.''
Kawakawa-born and raised Blues lock Josh Goodhue greets young players at Moerewa Rugby Club. Photo / Peter de Graaf
On Tuesday the Blues' last stop before heading to Matauri Bay was Moerewa Rugby Club, where juniors, seniors and under-15 girls were having a pre-season training night.
Northland players at the Moerewa event included Kerikeri-born Sam Nock, who capped a stellar year in 2020 by being named Northland's Mitre 10 Cup and Players' Player of the Year.
The halfback went to Moerewa Primary School and his father played for Kawakawa and Moerewa.
Blues halfback Sam Nock signs a shirt for 13-year-old Brad Sturges, who lives in Ōkaihau but plays for Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
''It's nice to get into smaller communities where they probably only see us on TV. We want to reconnect with a few clubs and schools, and let people know we appreciate their support.''
Lock Josh Goodhue, whose parents still own a farm between Moerewa and Kawakawa, recalled when he was a schoolboy going to Whangārei to meet the Blues.
Blues prop and All Black Nepo Laulala signs a cap for Nathan Ngawati, 13, of Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Simone Ngawati, Moerewa rugby mum and junior committee member, said it was a great chance for Moerewa youngsters to meet players from their home town who had succeeded at the sport's highest level.
"It's the stuff that kids dream of. Everybody wants to make it big, and seeing the Josh Goodhues, the Sam Nocks, the Rieko Ioanes, it makes it real for kids. It shows them it's doable, it is achievable. It's really inspiring."
It was also a chance for local kids to see that top rugby players weren't so different from them after all.
"Yes, they are superstars but they are normal people too, with normal mums and dads."
Ōtiria Rugby Club captain Hone Townsend gets a photo taken with mokopuna Herewini Junior McGregor and Blues player/All Black Nepo Laulala. Photo / Peter de Graaf
That was echoed by Ōtiria Rugby Club captain Hone Townsend, who had invited some mokos and junior players along from nearby Ōtiria.
"It's great for the kids to come along and see that these players are human. They are not supermen, they are normal blokes who have put in a good effort and become something."
Wayne Martin, senior men's coach for Moerewa United Kawakawa, said meeting locals playing for the Blues would show youth there was a pathway if they were determined to compete at that level.
Blues winger Mark Telea hands out posters to junior players at Moerewa Rugby Club. Photo / Peter de Graaf
"It's huge for them, to have these rugby superstars come to their town. The only other time these kids will see them is on TV. Just to be able to get a photo with them, shake hands, talk to them – these kids will remember that for the rest of their lives."
After a training session from 10am to noon today
at Kerikeri Sports Complex the players will take part in 'skills and drills' activities with local kids.
Blues halfback Sam Nock signs a cap for Nathan Ngawati, 13, of Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
