Jonah Mau'u is tackled by Damian McKenzie in a match between Waikato and Northland. Photo / Getty Images
Jonah Mau'u is tackled by Damian McKenzie in a match between Waikato and Northland. Photo / Getty Images
From working as a garage door installer to landing a Super Rugby Pacific contract within a couple of years, it won’t be long before Jonah Mau’u has the luxury of choosing which team he wants to run out for.
The 24-year-old loose forward’s rugby and family nexus are intrinsically linked and his selection in the Moana Pasifika side has only added to that richness.
The Waipū premier rugby captain is relishing the opportunity of rubbing shoulders with the Pacific boys and, despite losing all three games so far in Super Rugby, Mau’u is confident the Aaron Mauger-coached side is slowly but surely hitting its straps.
Mau’u was born to a Samoan dad and a Croatian mum and his older brothers Dan and Deon, who last year played for Waipū, have just been picked for the Croatian national side.
Mau’u was born in Canberra and, after finishing school in Auckland, he went to the United Kingdom and Hong Kong before moving to Northland two years ago.
He joined Waipū in 2021 and got picked to represent Northland in his first year of premier rugby. His former coach in Auckland and Moana Pasifika assistant coach, Filo Tiatia, had been tracking his NPC form and rang him last year.
“Filo’s advice was for me to be diligent and hard-driven because these things can happen quite fast for you and I just have to be prepared. I took that on board and just made sure that, especially at this level, everything you do, you need to do with good detail,” Mau’u said.
“He was tracking my form along the way and was impressed with how I was going. I never thought a couple of months down the track, I’d be playing Super Rugby.”
Mau’u said the Moana coaches were impressed with a lot of his on- as well as off-field stuff, his attention to detail and endeavours to always upskill himself, and having one-on-one discussions with them.
Waipū skipper Jonah Mau'u barges through the Mid Northern defence during the premier rugby competition. Photo / Michael Cunningham
He had been following the Moana Pasifika team since its entry into Super Rugby Pacific in 2022 and liked its cultural mix, given his dad is Samoan.
‘Getting to play for your homeland is something quite special’
“Since I got the call, I thought of making the most of the opportunity because I am really family-oriented, so getting to play for your homeland is something quite special.
“And then getting to do that for mum and dad and family is quite special for them as well.”
Mau’u debuted in the team’s narrow loss to the Fijian Drua at Mt Smart Stadium last month, played against the Chiefs in Hamilton as well, and was on the bench when Moana took on the Western Force in Perth on Saturday. The home side won that match 21-18.
The first game at Mt Smart Stadium against fellow Pacific islanders in front of family and friends was pretty special.
Jonah Mau'u on the charge on his debut against the Fijian Drua at Mt Smart Stadium.
Photo / Getty Images
“My parents were number one supporters during the first game. Having my friends there, a lot of them were there from the lowest of lows, at boarding school getting out of bed in the early hours and training with me. I have a lot of love and respect for those boys, and I treat them just like my family,” Mau’u said.
“There was a really strong connection there. Full credit to the Drua for getting that one over us.
“The atmosphere there was hectic, just seeing people so proud of their cultures, everyone coming together, no matter who won, or who lost. Everyone enjoyed themselves in that match.
“I am finding my way more than I am struggling. It’s an atmosphere I feel comfortable with and it’s just a case of now building on that and just being that stand-out player on the field.
“The pace of the games is definitely a level up from NPC, it’s quite fast. If you stop for one second, you’ll be left behind,” he said.
Rubbing shoulders with the best in the business and learning from them has helped Mau’u improve his game. Playing alongside former Wallabies, Christian Lealiifano and skipper Sekope Kepu, has been a real eye-opener, he said.
“As we say in Northland, we like to pick those guys’ brains. They’ve got so much experience under their belt and you’ve got to utilise it while you can, just to hear some of the tricks of the trade and just get into some of the habits they do.
“I’ve got a ton of belief in this team, we’re still finding our feet in this competition, you definitely see the results when we get it right.”
Another Taniwha rep, Chris Apoua, is also in the Moana side.
Mau’u is lamenting the fact he’ll miss turning out for Waipū with premier rugby starting next week but the Taniwha fans will get to see him in Cambridge Blue colours when the NPC gets underway around August.
