Cyclone Gabrielle: Homecoming for Hurricane Bailyn Sullivan in recovery work at Petane Marae

It was very much “home is where the heart is” for Bailyn Sullivan as he and 71 others in the Hurricanes fold converged on his home marae at Petane, north of Napier, for a nearly year-long post-Cyclone Gabrielle spruce-up.

He is classic Ngāti Kahungunu stock, born and bred in Hawke’s Bay, aged 25 and with almost 90 games behind him for NPC side Waikato, Super Rugby sides the Chiefs and the Hurricanes, and national sides on the All Blacks pathway. Sullivan was heading up the urupā (cemetery) clean-up, and feeling more than just the emotion and “vibe” with departed whanaunga well represented among the plots.

“I don’t have the words for it,” he said, in a break from the rain that welcomed the Hurricanes, including 52 players plus coaching and support staff, on a two-day camp in Hawke’s Bay.

It was “huge” and “special”, as it was for dad Wallace Sullivan who was able to get a few hours away from work on an Aropaoanui forestry block and join the crew.

Hurricanes player Bailyn Sullivan and his father, Wallace Sullivan, in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

But also in mind is the yearning to come back home one day, as in playing for the Magpies.

It was once the dream for Sullivan as he played through the juniors clubs such as Napier Tech and Pirates, the Hawke’s Bay Under 13 team and the Napier Boys’ High School first 15 before he, like younger brother Zarn, headed for King’s College and the professional rugby careers that have had both touted as future All Blacks.

“Home is where the heart is,” he said, when asked the question, revealing he’d like to “come back home” and play for Hawke’s Bay at some stage of his career.

Having seen the marae last year, with silt up the waist and strewn with logs and other debris, it was with some emotion he thanked “all the boys” before heading to the marae in the morning. “It’s been awesome,” he said later.

Wallace Sullivan said it was “huge” to have the Hurricanes at the marae, which is red-zoned as a result of the cyclone’s devastation, but has whānau determined to keep things as tidy as possible pending the decisions on a site for the future.

The Hurricanes, including five Hawke’s Bay Magpies contracted for the seven-month season — from get-together in November to the final in June — plus two other “national development contract” players were told to bring gumboots and be prepared. There was no suggestion the rain and mud might be a deterrent as they set to work, from mowing and weeding around the site and shovelling silt from the wharekai.

On Friday the Hurricanes will stage an 11.45am-12.45pm session open to the public at the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union’s complex at Orotu Dr, Napier, with autograph signing to follow.