Rugby: Hann roars in backline

Hayden Hann deals with a patient while on the job as a physiotherapist for Cape Physio. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hayden Hann has been the quiet achiever in the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports premier rugby team's backline this season.

However that silence was broken when he produced a player of the match performance in his team's 42-10 win against Hastings Rugby and Sports at Tamatea Park on Saturday to become the fifth weekly winner in the battle for the McDonald's-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award. In case you still can't picture the bloke, he's the 77kg second five-eighth who has regularly upstaged bigger and more fancied opponents.

"I'm pretty stoked because it had been 10 years since I played in the centres ... my Wakely Shield days were probably the last time," the former halfback explained. "I like running with the ball more and defensively you don't do much at halfback apart from covering. I like being in the D-line," Hann, 22, said.

When quizzed on the secrets to his success when playing against opponents more than 20kg heavier, including his opposite last weekend, Hawke's Bay Sevens rep and the player at the top of the MVP leaderboard Neria Fomai, Hann replied:

"It's all about good technique and knowing what to do when the players come towards you."

His team produced remarkable improvement on the previous week's 28-20 away loss to Havelock North.

"There was a change of mindset. We knew what we wanted and we know what we can do if we carry on from last year's Maddison Trophy success ... at the start of the season we were a bit casual," Hann recalled.

After winning the Hawke's Bay Sevens title for the first time in February, Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports made no secret of the fact they wanted the Nash Cup.

"We know we have to get some five point wins and hope leaders Napier Old Boys Marist have a couple of losses if this is to be achieved. To be fair, retaining the Maddison Trophy is our main focus and we're building towards that," Hann said.

A product of the Taradale JAB system from sixth grade up, a Taradale High School 1st XV player for three years and former Hawke's Bay Under-18 rep, Hann, returned to the Bay last year after spending three years in Dunedin studying physiotherapy at Otago University. While there he played two seasons for the Southern club's colts before completing one with the club's premier two team.

"I was meant to go back last year but I decided to complete my studies back here. It's awesome to be working with Mark [Magpies physio Nicol] at Cape Physio. In the future when my playing days are over I hope to follow a similar path to Mark and become a physio for various sports teams. It's also good having that physiotherapy knowledge for my own injuries and if I can't fix them I can get colleagues to help out," Hann said.

"While I'm just focusing on my Pirate commitments this season it would be good to have a crack at some rep teams in the future. I know I will have to try and get my weight up to around the 85-87kg mark. I was 83kg at the end of last year but then I dropped a bit with all the sevens training," he added.

Hann's battle with another of the Bay's in-form 12s, Clive's Tianua Poto, at Farndon Park on Saturday has the potential to be a cracker.

Best and fairest:

Pirate v Hastings: 3, Hayden Hann (Pirate); 2, Pouvi Fatialofa (Pirate); 1, Neria Fomai (Hastings).

Tech v Havelock North: 3, Todd Cushing (Tech); 2, Matt Phillips (Havelock); 1, Elijah Martin (Tech).

Clive v Central: 3, Tiaan Falcon (Clive); 2, George McPherson (Central); 1, Jesse Tuhua (Clive).

NOBM v Tamatea: 3, Sam Giddens (NOBM); 2, Henare Harris (Tamatea); 1, Mike King (NOBM).

MAC v Taradale: 3, Harris Solomon (MAC); 2, Colin Hokianga (MAC); 1, Sisa Vosaki (Taradale).

Leaderboard:

7 points: Neria Fomai (Hastings)
6: Matt Gardiner (NOBM), Ricky Riccitelli (Havelock)
5: Tere Joel (MAC), Tianua Poto, Lucas Goodin, Tiaan Falcon (all Clive), Geoff Cridge (Hastings), Elijah Martin (Tech)
4: Ramiha Smiler (MAC), George McPherson (Central).