Chiefs halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi is in the starting line-up for Whakarewarewa to play Te Puna on Saturday. Photo / File
Chiefs halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi is in the starting line-up for Whakarewarewa to play Te Puna on Saturday. Photo / File
When Whakarewarewa head coach Boxer Smith got a call saying All Black and Chiefs halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi wanted to play for his side this weekend, he thought he was the butt of an April Fool's joke.
However, the offer was legitimate and Tahuriorangi will start for the Rotorua-based side against Te Puna tomorrow.
An away trip to Baywide Premier contenders Te Puna is always a daunting task but having won their first two games of the season and with the extra firepower at halfback, Whakarewarewa will go into the match full of confidence. Te Puna lost their first game of the season to defending champions Te Puke but won their second match last weekend, against Mount Maunganui.
Tahuriorangi says the Chiefs having the bye this weekend gave him the rare opportunity to play a game with whānau — his brother-in-law, Hunter Wharerau, is the Whakarewarewa hooker.
"It's a good opportunity to play some club rugby but it was a tough decision. I'm Rotoiti-hard, born and raised, but it was a good opportunity to rub shoulders and go out to battle with my brother-in-law. We've never played together before so it made sense to go there and play alongside him," Tahuriorangi says.
"I got in touch with Boxer, he's a family friend, and he thought it was an April Fool's joke, but I told him I was legit and I was keen to play some club rugby."
Tahuriorangi will start at halfback for Whakarewarewa and has been given full licence by the Chiefs to play as many minutes as he wants. It will be some valuable game time having spent much of the Super Rugby season playing limited minutes off the bench.
He says club rugby is different to Super Rugby in a number of ways.
"I find club rugby's harder than Super Rugby because you have to worry about the whānau. If you lose or you're not playing good enough — they'll let you know during the game. You do miss it and you don't miss it, what I do miss about club rugby is it's raw, it's played for the passion and it's played for the love of the game. That's what I'm hoping to find tomorrow.
"I'm looking forward to just going out there and enjoying myself, finding some confidence and playing alongside whānau."
The Chiefs made a slow start to the season, losing their first four games on the trot before a 23-all draw with the Hurricanes, but have come good of late with crucial away wins over the Bulls and Jaguares.
Rotorua's Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi in action for the All Blacks against Japan last year. Photo / Getty Images
Despite being behind veteran Brad Weber in the pecking order for the Chiefs, Tahuriorangi has made an impact from the bench. Against the Jaguares it was his 78th-minute try which proved the difference.
"Whenever I come on I try to do my role, whether we're trying to win the game or I'm coming on to hold it out. Whatever the situation is when I come on, I just try to make sure I know what my role is and I think I've been doing that quite good lately."
Smith says Tahuriorangi's presence at training this week has given the team a boost in energy.
"It's huge I think, not just for our club but for the whole Rotorua community. To have a guy with his expertise is great for the team, it has really boosted the team morale. The boys don't mind him coming in and going straight into a position where he's going to make a difference.
"I wasn't expecting that phonecall, I thought it was a joke. He's been at Tuesday and Thursday training and you can see it in the boys, the confidence and excitement and belief.
"[Tahuriorangi's] experience at that top level, his professionalism, that will rub off on our players. He's a real humble guy too, he's not coming in to be big-headed or anything, he just wants to play rugby and get among the team environment. That speaks volumes about him as a person."
He says it is a welcome addition ahead of a tough away trip. Te Puna will be Whakarewarewa's first real test after comfortable wins over Te Teko and Ōpōtiki in the first two rounds.
"Te Puna, for the last few years, have beaten us. We haven't got a game up on them. That's the motivation for this week, to get up and redeem ourselves."
Te Puna coach Aidan Kuka says Whakarewarewa is always a tough team to come up against but going into today's match with one win and one loss under their belt the team will need to be well prepared for a big battle.
"I guess we're ready for the challenge tomorrow," Kuka says.
Tahuriorangi taking the field for Wakarewarewa may be news to Kuka but he says club rugby is all about getting to rub shoulders with elite players and believes his side will enjoy the opportunity.
"That's what club rugby is all about," Kuka says.
"I think they'll appreciate the opportunity. They'll certainly have to raise the bar and really be aware of what someone like him will bring.
Saturday's premier draw: Te Puna v Whakarewarewa at Maramatanga Park; Tauranga Sports v Mount Maunganui at Tauranga Domain; Greerton v Te Puke at Greerton Park; Rangataua v Arataki at Te Ariki Park; Rangiuru v Te Teko at Centennial Park Te Puke; Rotoiti v Ōpōtiki at Emery Park.
