"Dad was pretty tough. After a bad game I wouldn't want to get in the car with him," Kaka said when appearing on the popular Maori Television sports show Code on Thursday night.
"At the same time it was motivation for me to play well ... so I wouldn't get yelled at," Kaka said. Kaka, 22, and fellow Hawke's Bay All Black Sevens representative Trinity Spooner-Neera returned home from London this week after helping the Kiwis win the London-hosted final leg of the World Series and secure an 11th title from 14 World Series.
Kaka and Waikato's Tim Mikkelson were the two Kiwis named in the World Series Dream Team.
"It was unreal ... I was gobsmacked," Kaka said as he reflected on the final day of the London tournament at Twickenham, the home of rugby.
"We had already wrapped up the series the previous week in Scotland so to go out and win the London leg in the manner we did [the All Black Sevens beat Australia 47-12 in the final] was pretty special."
Considering Kaka was a late replacement for the Kiwis on the World Series and came in for the Wellington-hosted fourth of nine legs he has made rapid progress.
He must be considered a certainty for next month's Sevens World Cup in Moscow.
Kaka has ticked every box to date in his quest to make the All Black Sevens side for the Rio Olympics.
Spooner-Neera's honesty is equally as admirable as Kaka's.
"Yes I still wake up every day and ask myself is this happening," Spooner-Neera said.
The 18-year-old has yet to play a Hawke's Bay premier club rugby game but has already been in the Chiefs Super Rugby squad (as training cover back in February) and is a World Series Sevens champion, having played in four of the legs, two less than Kaka.
"It's an awesome feeling ... it's great to be a New Zealander," Spooner-Neera said as he reflected on the London finale, his first taste of series leg title-winning celebrations.
"It was a pretty special moment and to do it at Twickenham was cool. I was quite proud of myself ... now I just want to keep doing it."
A centre at Sevens, Spooner-Neera said he got a fair share of game time including a start in the pool win against Wales. Like Kaka he has a two-week spell from playing before assembling with the All Black Sevens squad for a training camp in Mount Maunganui and at the end of the camp the team to play at the World Cup will be named.
"Fingers crossed I'll be going to Moscow. Some of the boys have had season-ending injuries so there's a good chance depending on how I perform at camp," Spooner-Neera said.
With all the injuries the Chiefs are experiencing there was a strong chance Spooner-Neera could have been a contender for a berth in their 22 for last night's match against the Hurricanes in Wellington. However, he is happy with where his career is heading with Sevens for now.
"Sevens is my priority," he said.
Kaka and Spooner-Neera will be the "water boys" for Progressive Meats Havelock North when they host Clive in an eighth round Tui Nash Cup fixture at Anderson Park today. This match doubles as a Challenge Shield fixture.
Competition leaders Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical travel to Flaxmere's Ron Giorgi Park to take on MAC.
Should Tech and Havelock North win today their match at Anderson Park next week will be the Nash Cup decider.
Other games today will see Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports host Hawke's Bay Insurances Napier Old Boys Marist in the feature match of the Pirate club's club day, Central host Carters Frame and Truss Taradale at Waipukurau's Central Park and IMS Payroll Hastings Rugby and Sports host Tamatea at Elwood Park.
In last night's Hawke's Bay premier women's games at Elwood Park, Hastings Napier Technical beat Hastings Rugby and Sports 40-10 and Clive beat Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports by default.
