Rugby: HB first-five 'living his dream'

Piri Weepu was injured before the first of the Maori All Blacks' two games on their North American tour. Photo / APN

During his school teaching days at Te Aute College in the late 1990s Simon West taught a cheeky future All Black halfback by the name of Piri Weepu.

Although Weepu, a Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools representative at the time and already showing signs he was a potential first-class player, West never dreamed his son Ihaia, who is eight years younger than Weepu, would play alongside one of Wainuiomata's favourite sporting sons. That could happen tonight should Weepu and West jnr get game time off the bench together for the Blues against the Waratahs in the round 11 Super Rugby clash at Auckland's Eden Park.

"It could have happened on the New Zealand Maori team's tour last year but Piri got injured," West snr explained as he and wife Shona travelled to Auckland yesterday in anticipation of their son getting game time tonight.

He was referring to the fact Weepu was injured before the first of the Maori All Blacks' two games on their North American tour. While West snr, who now teaches at Napier Boys' High School, never envisaged the possibility of a Weepu-West combo, his wife pointed out their son is "living his dream" and has been rewarded for his patience after initially missing Super Rugby selection and spending time training with the Chiefs and playing for the Hurricanes Development team earlier this year.

She added it was an exciting time for the family.

"I might have to have a doctor beside me with heart pills at the game," the "nervous for the first 10 minutes type of mother" quipped.

No doubt the memories of her son's childhood will flood back should he trot out against the Tahs.

Days when he flicked the television channels searching for sports programmes instead of watching Barney and Sesame Street cartoons like others his age would do at the time.

Days when he had to be called in well after dark for dinner when enhancing his cricket and rugby skills in the backyard.

West jnr, 22, who was called into the Blues camp as a replacement for the injured Baden Kerr last week, admitted yesterday to being "pretty stoked" at being named in the 23 for tonight.

"I haven't been told whether I will get any minutes. I suppose a lot will depend on what happens in the game but hopefully I'll get the chance to make my Super Rugby debut," West said before the Blues' captain's run.

West was full of praise for the support he had been given from Weepu since arriving at the Blues.

"Simon has been a big help too ... teaching me all the moves," he said referring to starting first five-eighth Simon Hickey who last year made the New Zealand under-20s a year after West and was this week selected for the Baby Blacks again and named captain.

When West left for Auckland he said he was looking forward to learning heaps off Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan and one of his assistants, World Cup-winning All Black coach Sir Graham Henry. The two Sirs haven't disappointed.

"JK has taught me plenty about attack and Ted [Henry's nickname] has been good with the defensive stuff."

West said the Blues training sessions have been similar to what he experienced at the Chiefs.

"They've been pretty physical and really good ... I'm enjoying them."

Should West get game time tonight he will join Matt Berquist, Callum Bruce and Daniel Kirkpatrick as former Napier Boys' High School first five-eighths who have played at Super Rugby level. It will also be further proof the former Central Districts age group cricket representative's decision to accept a Hawke's Bay Rugby Union contract before CD cricket could offer him one was the right one.

While it's a big night for West his Magpies teammate, Highlanders winger Richard Buckman, has an ideal opportunity to further enhance his chances of being an All Black bolter next month when the Highlanders take on the in-form Sharks outfit in Durban tomorrow morning. Former Magpies prop Ben Tameifuna only needs to continue doing what he has been doing for the Chiefs when they take on Aussie conference leaders the Brumbies in Canberra tonight to remain in the hunt for a berth in the first All Black squad of the season.