Rugby: Sibling strife can wait a week

Ezekiel, Kahlia and Zedekiah Awa will create a first for the Ross Shield rugby tournament when they turn out for Hastings West. Photo / Warren Buckland

When Zedekiah and Kahlia Awa are at home they fight like any other brother and sister do ... usually over food.

But when they are on the rugby field they gel like any decent first five-eighth and halfback combination should.

It's just well because, along with Zedekiah's twin brother Ezekiel, they will create a first for the Wattie's Ross Shield Rugby tournament when they play for Hastings West at the 114th edition of the annual Hawke's Bay Primary Schools tournament, to be played in Dannevirke from September 27 to October 1.

It will be the first time two brothers and one sister from the same family have turned out in the same team at the event.

They are believed to be the first trio from the same family to play for a team since the Cameron brothers; Bryce, Dylan and Justin, strutted their stuff for Napier in the late 1990s.

The Awa trio are fifth-generation Ross Shield players and have played together from fifth grade level to 12th grade at the MAC club.

What makes their feat more significant is the fact 12-year-old Kahlia will be still eligible to play Ross Shield rugby next year when her 13-year-old brothers have moved on from Flaxmere's Peterhead School to Hastings Boys' High School.

Their parents are former New Zealand age group basketballer Shontelle Wainohu and Duane Awa, who has played more than 100 premier games as a frontrower for MAC.

"Kahlia gets all her skills from her mother," Duane said.

He has coached the trio through the grades along with fellow MAC stalwart Narley Tuliau. Rugby isn't the only code in which the trio shine.

Last week they played for their school's netball team which finished 16th out of 120 teams at the AIMS Games in Mount Maunganui which involved intermediate teams from throughout the country.

During the second week of the school holidays, Kahlia will play for the Hawke's Bay under-13 girls basketball team at their regional tournament in Wellington.

"I'm lucky my basketball coaches [Kirstin Taylor and Carley Hewitt] have allowed me to train for both codes.

"There will come a day when I have to choose between the codes and rugby will probably get the nod," said the big fan of All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara.

While Napier was the dominant team last year, Ezekiel predicted this year's tournament will be closer.

"I'm confident we can close the gap this year," said the only member of the trio not to have played at Wakely Shield level.

All three have represented Hastings West at C and D grade levels in the past.

Ezekiel listed Richie McCaw and Dane Coles as his idols, after his father. Zedekiah cited Beauden Barrett and his grandmother, Brenda Wainohu, as heroes.

When quizzed on the secret to the trio's success, their mother replied: "Dedication. They are good when it comes to juggling their sporting commitments with their church activities and school work."

Their Te Awa Estates Hastings West team is coached by Anthony Easson. He has former All Black captain Taine Randell as his assistant coach.