SHANE HURNDELL
Paora Winitana (below) playing rugby league ... it's the type of news which would send shivers up the spine of his Tall Blacks basketball coach Tab Baldwin.
Fortunately for Baldwin and his Mighty Hawks counterpart Shawn Dennis, Winitana, a Tall Blacks guard since 2002, finished Saturday's Ngati Kahungunu Maori Rugby League Pa Wars tournament at Coronation Park, Waipawa injury-free.
"I only went down there to help the organisers out," said Winitana who works as a kaiwhakahaere for Sport Hawke's Bay.
"The Waipatu side was short of players and asked me to play. Obviously if my marae, Waimarama, was represented I would have had to play for them but they weren't so I told the Waipatu coaches if they found me some gear I would help them out," said the versatile all rounder who played rugby union during his secondary school and primary school days.
"They managed to find me everything I needed apart from pads and a mouthguard. Talk about an enjoyable day ... I played outside centre, scored three tries and our team won," he said.
Waipatu beat Omahu 22-12 in the final of the six-team tournament after eliminating Rakautatahi from the Takapau Plains 28-14 in their semifinal. An extra time penalty gave Omahu a 12-10 win over Korongata in their semifinal.
A former Ross Shield rugby player, Winitana, appears set to continue flirting with the oval ball codes as he has been asked to be a backup player for Tamatea in Hawke's Bay's premier club rugby competition next year.
"They wanted me to play this year in the semifinals but I hadn't played the required three games before the semis so couldn't. If there isn't a clash with basketball next year and they need a hand I'll be keen to help them out."
RUGBY LEAGUE: Tall Black's a master of the oval ball
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