Tairawhiti trio in squad for Maori All Blacks

Sean Wainui, Whetukamokamo Douglas and Isaia Walker-Leawere have been named in the squad for the Maori All Blacks. Above: Whetukamokamo and Jess Douglas. Facebook picture

Tairawhiti has a proud rugby heritage and has always punched above its weight.

That trend continued this week with the naming of three players from local iwi and hapu in the Maori All Blacks squad.

Lock Isaia Walker-Leawere, flanker Whetukamokamo Douglas and centre Sean Wainui were named in the 24-man squad to play Moana Pasifika in December.

Douglas is a Gisborne Boys' High School old boy and has played professionally since 2013.

He was a member of the Waikato team from 2013 to 2016, then played two years of rugby in Italy for the Benetton club before he returned to New Zealand in 2018 to play for the Crusaders and Canterbury.

It will be Douglas's second time in the Maori All Blacks. He was selected in 2016 for their Northern Hemisphere tour.

He said he was grateful to have been given another opportunity. He'd felt he had to earn his spot again after playing overseas.

“It's unreal, the amount of pride that I feel, especially because it's a black jersey and it's for Aotearoa, and that word Maori on it.

“When I think about putting that jersey on, I think about putting it on for my whanau and my iwi.”

Douglas wanted to thank all the coaches who had supported him as he developed, and he gave a special shout-out to Poverty Bay head coach — and former Gisborne Boys' High School first 15 coach — Tom Cairns.

He said it was exciting to be playing against Moana Pasifika, who would be playing their first-ever game as a team and were tipped to join the Super Rugby competition in 2022.

“In the bigger picture, having a team like that, a Pasifika team, is awesome for New Zealand rugby. It gives back to all the Pasifika players and families who contribute massively to not just New Zealand rugby but world rugby.”

Walker-Leawere grew up in Ruatoria and was a boarder at Gisborne Boys' High School before he moved to Wellington to pursue his dream of playing professionally.

Rugby is in his blood. He is the son of Fijian legend Kele Leawere, who co-captained the national team to the quarterfinals of the 2007 World Cup.

Walker-Leawere said he found out he made the team when it was announced through social media.

“It's pretty special,” he said.

“Growing up in that area you heard about Rico and Hosea (Gear), and it's just good to be representing everyone, and my family.”

He considers Gisborne his home, and spends summer in town and up the East Coast with his family.

Wainui is originally from Whatatutu but went to school at Takapuna Grammar, where he captained the school's first 15.

He said it meant the world to him to represent his whanau and iwi in the Maori All Blacks.

“I'm from Mangatu, Te Wainui Marae and my iwi are Ngariki Kaiputahi and Ngati Porou.

“It's a team I have dreamed of playing for as a little fella. I've been in the team for five years, and it always feels like the first time.

“I love it with a passion, and I can't wait to run out there with the Maori brothers.”