RUGBY/BASKETBALL: Ex winger has quiet Word court-side

The stocky Samoan bloke on the touring American basketball team's bench looks a little out of place.
It isn't so much that he lacks athleticism but more that his unbasketball-like mould seems to defy the hoop-dunking persona, despite him sporting a baseball cap with the famous tick.
``Here comes the reporter,'' the 44-year-old says with a smile as SportToday approaches the Athletes in Action (AIA) team bench to clarify all names and shirt numbers before the tip-off at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, on Thursday night.
Just before the buzzer goes he approaches the press table to gently whisper he wants to share something with the media but prefers the comfort of halftime.
Come the 20-minute breather, the former All Black triallist and Samoan international rugby player Timo Tagaloa walks up and, without saying a word, simply places an AIA card, in the fashion of cereal box collector's item, on the table and slips away with the team into the changing rooms. His autograph on the card is as conspicuous as his action shot, charging forward with a rugby ball tucked under his left arm, as former inspirational ABs captain Wayne ``Buck'' Shelford comes in to support him. He spends the rest of the second half fetching drinks and towels for the youthful AIA players, acting as their liaison officer.
The former New Zealand XV and national sevens representative's notation on the back of the card _ aptly concluding with a verse from Colossians 3:23, 24 _ reads:
``Sports has always been a big part of my life and at high school I excelled at rugby.
``But my main motivation for playing was the popularity and fame that it brought.''
All that changed when a sports reporter wrote an article, ``A star is born'', to place immense pressure to become an AB.
``People labelled me a loser when I didn't perform and that hurt. I couldn't handle the pressure and expectations.''
While he was popular, West Aucklander Tagaloa couldn't reconcile it with the emptiness he felt then.
``[I was] lonely and was seriously considering suicide.''
One day he had a brush with someone spreading the Word.
``Now I have direction in my life and purpose for living. Now I seek to please God, not others,'' he writes.
After Thursday night's match, an affable AIA head coach Morris Michalski set the record straight.
The AIA motto is not ``Offer Him'', as SportToday inadvertently reported in its profile of shooting guard Cade Davis, but ``All for Him'' (Jesus Christ).
``We exist to serve the Lord. We serve others.
``We are trying to find a balance. We're looking for victory in competition but also beyond competition.
``If that means we're helping the Breakers to get better. If that means we're promoting basketball in the country ... then we're so respectful.''
Describing New Zealand as ``a great country'', Michalski says it's his first visit here.
``It's not just the landscape, it's the people.
``We thought we were coming to give and we hope somehow we are helping but I think we're receiving even more,'' says the leader of the team whose basic principles are deeply rooted in Christian faith.