Lazy days fade as new rake fires up

By JAMIE TROUGHTON
John Pareanga has always had talent and it hasn't always been in rugby.
When the Bay of Plenty hooker moved out from Rarotonga to Rotorua as a 12-year-old, he had a career in golf fixed in his head.
He was on an eight handicap when he arrived at Rotorua Boys' High, a couple of years ahead of prominent amateurs Sam Hunt and Brad Iles.
But rugby quickly got its claws into the young man. He was outstanding in under-15 teams for the school, and ear-marked for the first XV until he moved to Te Kuiti at the end of fifth-form.
His role of honour is impressive from there - he went on to represent New Zealand at secondary school, under-19 and colts level, winning world cups with the latter two, and made his debut for the Chiefs in 2004.
On the side, he's kept dabbling in golf, and also took up American football to help his throwing arm.
But where the talent has flown freely and the natural ability has taken him far, Pareanga finds himself at a career crossroads, as his work ethic has failed to keep up.
"I've just been lazy my whole life," Pareanga admitted with a depreciating grin. "I see a task and I just do it. I hate beating around the bush - I just like getting straight to the point.
"I think a lot of coaches don't really like that kind of personality, which is a bit rat-shit for me."
Chiefs' coaches Ian Foster and Farrell Temata washed their hands of him when he went for a holiday in Rarotonga in 2004 instead of fronting up for Waikato's NPC season and he was thrown a lifeline by Bay of Plenty last year.
Now 23, the shaven-headed rake, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Bay of Plenty great Hika Reid, has been given a golden chance to press home his potential, which he's squandered in recent years.
With Aleki Lutui injured, and heading to Britain at the end of the Air New Zealand Cup first round, Pareanga has fought off a strong challenge from Simon Chisholm to win the No 2 jersey ... for now.
"This year, it's been a real focus. I've been trying to get starts and play well ... hopefully ending up with a contract at the end of the year. I've still got to get a bit stronger with the ball ... Aleki's ball-running is awesome. We haven't been getting that go-forward and we need someone like him to get things going."
Pareanga's two starts against Wellington and North Harbour have coincided with a steady stream of lineout ball.
"The lineouts have improved since the first round, but the scrums have been going awesome. We try to end each set-piece on our terms."