Rugby: Mikaele's a weekly winner in two different positions

MAC prop Amiga Mikaele on the job as a grader at Graeme Lowe Tannery in Hastings. Photo/Warren Buckland

Versatile MAC player Amiga Mikaele has joined an elite group among Hawke's Bay premier club rugby competition's weekly MVP award winners.

That's the group of players who have been a weekly winner in two different positions. Two years ago, Mikaele was a weekly winner after a player-of-the-match display in the hooking role and this week he became the ninth weekly winner in the battle to become the 2019 holder of the McDonald's-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award with a player-of-the-match display at loosehead prop in his team's 28-all draw with Napier Technical at Flaxmere Park on Saturday.

"Last year, Anthony [MAC head coach Morley] played me at hooker and flanker. But I'm really enjoying the propping role this season and that's where I want to stay. I was pretty happy with how our scrum went against the Texans," Mikaele said.

He had every right to be happy. The MAC scrum dominated the visiting scrum for 70 minutes of the match which was a mighty feat considering the Texans scrum included Magpies props Mark Braidwood and Tim Farrell.

"I've been getting a few tips from different props but I mainly rely on my natural strength," Mikaele said.

The Graeme Lowe Tannery grader first played for MAC in 2008 after arriving in the Bay from his Samoa village of Vailele. Mikaele, 32, is in his ninth season with the team, as he spent a couple of years in Australia, and has played 110 games at premier level.

Considering his limited appearances in the front row, he has made rapid progress in the propping role. Spectators may struggle to believe his first position with MAC was on the wing and he worked his way through the backline with regular stints at halfback and in the loose forwards before switching to the front row.

Mikaele agreed MAC under-achieved in the Nash Cup round with one win and two draws in nine matches. However, he was confident they could reach the semifinals in the Maddison Trophy round.

"We've got a few key players coming back from injuries for this weekend's game with NOBM so that will be a good gauge," Mikaele said.

There's no doubt Magpies loosie Solomone Funaki and former Samoa Sevens rep Tom Iosefo will give MAC a boost. But they still need to improve their discipline if they are going to stay within 12 points of the Green Machine.

Fifteen penalties were conceded against the Texans and a couple of those were for players not wearing mouthguards. Teams eyeing a Maddison Trophy semifinal shouldn't be making such basic errors.

"I'm hoping to make the Saracens team this year and if I keep working hard I'll see what happens," Mikaele said.

A father of four boys, Mikaele is looking forward to the day when they are wearing the 10, 11, 12 and 13 jerseys for the MAC premiers. A quick glance at the talent on Mikaele's family tree suggests there's a good chance of that happening.

His wife, Sammy Jo, is a cousin of former All Blacks flanker Tanerau Latimer. Mikaele is a brother of former Samoan Sevens rep Simaika Mikaele and they are cousins of former Wallaby and former Brumbies, Waratahs and Rebels Super Rugby player Peter Betham.
Best & Fairest
MAC v Tech: 3, Amiga Mikaele (MAC); 2, Penikolo Latu (Tech); 1, Lewis Marshall (MAC).
Taradale v Havelock North: 3, Eru Wano (Taradale); 2, Angelo Mufana (Taradale); 1, Humphrey Sheild (Taradale).
Hastings v Pirate: 3, Antonio Mikaele-Tu'u (Hastings); 2, Tyrone Dodd-Edwards (Pirate); 1, Jardine Chung-Ching (Hastings).
NOBM v Tamatea: 3, Lee Moleili (NOBM); 2, Hannon Brighouse (NOBM); 1, Sheridan Kite (Tamatea).
Leaderboard: 8pts: Donovan Mataira (Clive). 7pts: Sean Skeet (NOBM), Elijah Martin (Tech). 6pts: Iakopo Mapu, Humphrey Sheild (both Taradale). 5pts: Jordan Kupa, Jacob Baker, Toby Single (all Taradale), Liam Edwards, Matt Gardner (both NOBM), Shamara Brooks, Neria Fomai (both Hastings), Jacob Stephenson (Havelock North), Pouri Rakete-Stones (Pirate), Tom Iosefo (MAC).