Sanaila Waqa in action.
Sanaila Waqa always knew he had rugby talent ... but he seldom had the opportunity to display it as a youngster back home in Fiji.
"I'm a Seventh Day Adventist and Dad didn't allow me to play rugby on Saturdays," the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby lock said, referring to his father Sanaila Waqa senior who died in January last year, a month before Waqa came to the Bay to complete his final year of secondary school at Hastings Boys' High School.
"When I snuck away from church to play rugby as a 17-year-old that was the first time I had played since I was 10," Waqa recalled.
It was during one of those sneaky Saturdays playing for his Laucala Bay club side in Suva that Waqa, who turned 20 this week, got selected to play for the Naitasiri provincial side. His form was so spectacular Waqa attracted the attention of scouts for Auckland's Saint Kentigern College.
"The whole village heard about it but Dad wouldn't let me go to Auckland because of our religion," Waqa said.
Through a friend in Fiji Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV, coach Jack Wiggins managed to get footage of Waqa. He immediately expressed interest in his services and through Waqa's uncle, Solomoni Laukolo, a Fijian club player like Waqa's father, managed to convince him to allow his nephew to travel to the Bay.
"I remember when Junior arrived at Hawke's Bay Airport ... all he had was a backpack and a pair of rugby boots," Wiggins laughed.
While he may have been short on luggage, Waqa has packed plenty into his rugby career during the 17 months he has been in the Bay. While playing for Hastings Boys' High School, he got selected in the paper-only New Zealand Secondary Schools Sevens team after the Condor nationals and the Hurricanes under-20s.
After one tournament with the Hastings Rugby and Sports Sevens team he made the New Zealand Marist Sevens side, and after a couple of club games at 15s level, the Hurricanes Development team. Tomorrow night he will play in his third Ranfurly Shield defence with the Magpies against Mid Canterbury at Napier's McLean Park.
It will be his final opportunity to stake a claim for a berth in the Magpies ITM Cup squad. After starting in the wins against Wairarapa Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti, Waqa will get time as a substitute.
"We've seen what he can do as a starter. Now we want to see what sort of impact he can provide," Magpies head coach Craig Philpott said.
"I don't care whether I start or not ... as long as I'm in the 23. This is all a dream come true for me here in New Zealand. I still pinch myself to remind me it's happening. I know there are players who have played 100 games for the Magpies and never played in a successful defence so I know how lucky I am," Waqa said.
Depending on whether he is successful in making the Magpies or the Saracens, Waqa expects to spend the next two years at least in the Bay. The 2.02m tall, 105kg player who is just as comfortable on the wing as he is in the engine room will be a certainty for the Saracens if he misses out on the ITM Cup squad.
Winger Mason Emerson is the only Magpie who can beat Waqa in sprints over any distance.
"I've got carpentry as a back-up plan if I don't make money out of rugby straight away. I know I could have ended up in Hamilton or Auckland but I couldn't be happier here in the Bay," he added.