Taniwha centurion Ross Wright to co-coach Wellsford after retiring

Former Northland rugby centurion Ross Wright is helping co-coach Wellsford's Premier men's side this season. Photo / Michael Cunningham

At 36, Ross Wright’s age may be impacting his dynamism at a provincial level for Northland but the Taniwha centurion will deliver enough ball-carrying impact or defensive punch at a club level as a coach/player.

The front-rower has called time on the National Provincial Championship after 14 years in the Cambridge Blue jersey and in that time, he has also had a stint in Super Rugby and four years playing for the New Zealand Māori All Blacks.

He and brother Matt Wright - also a former Taniwha player - together with Ross Neal, are co-coaching Wellsford in this year’s Premier division, with the brothers also playing for the side.

Consistency has eluded Wellsford in recent years after clinching two Premier titles since 2009 and that’s Ross Wright’s biggest challenge in his new role.

Northland's 24th centurion Ross Wright walks out with his daughters Kaimarni and Rakaia before the game against Taranaki in 2020. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Ross Wright first cracked the Northland side in 2008 and hung up his boots at the end of last year after chalking up 123 games for his beloved province - an unbelievable number given he played football until just before his teenage years.

Rugby wasn’t strictly in the family blood. “My great-grandfather played for North Auckland back in the day. Me and my brother, we both played soccer up until I was probably 10 or 11. Probably two years before I started playing rugby, I sort of wanted to play rugby and it naturally just came around that we both ended up playing rugby.”

The prop couldn’t have chosen a more opportune time to retire from NPC rugby, given Northland had such an impressive 2023 season, the Taniwha overpowering Auckland at home and humiliating eventual champions the Wellington Lions in their den at Porirua.

Last year trumped every other year he ran out for Northland. “I’ve never played in a side that beat Auckland before... any rugby, in the age grades or even B rugby. Beating them at home last year was huge. I played that game. Being on the field, you could see [the] crowd behind us, it was pretty unreal, really.”

The proud Taniwha player bowed out following their loss to Canterbury in the quarter-finals.

Wright hasn’t always been named in the starting line-up for his province but whenever he’s on the pitch, Northland got more productivity from their front row in general play.

The forwards got on their feet quicker, carried more, tackled more and worked harder off the ball when he rallied the troops, delivering ball-carrying impact and defensive punch.

“Once I got close to playing 100 games, I didn’t say I wanted to retire but felt like my time may be coming to an end, and wanted to hang up the boots on my own terms,” Wright said.

“I just knew it was probably the time to finish playing for Northland. I hadn’t really wanted to go into coaching but I sort of felt it was a good way to be involved with rugby and to pass on the knowledge and try and help the younger players that aspire [to be] where me and my brother were.”

Northland's win over Auckland in Whangārei was one of the highlights in Ross Wright's time in the Taniwha jersey. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The transition to coaching is a challenge, as he’s never done it before.

“I am excited where we can take this club to. Being a bit more consistent is the biggest thing we’ll have to work on. If you look at last year, we beat Waipū and Mid Northern - that were both in the final - which shows that we can beat the bigger teams. But it’s just putting out those performances every week.”

Wright is ruing being unable to play more Super Rugby, rather than making it into the All Blacks. “Making it into the NZ Māori team was a bigger deal than making it into the All Blacks. I’ve represented my culture and my people.”

He played 12 games for the Blues in 2018 - the majority off the bench - and came off the back of a solid NPC season with the Taniwha in 2017, when he was also selected for the Māori All Blacks.

A lot of work is needed at club rugby level in Northland, he believes, to foster healthy growth at the grassroots level.

“When I started, we used to look forward to playing rugby in the weekend and then going out with mates and having a good time. I am not sure if the young fellas these days have the same enthusiasm, because I feel like their commitment was unlike ours was back then, and that’s why a lot of clubs are now struggling.

“A lot of clubs are having to join with other clubs just to carry on with footy in that area.”

Wright said there are a lot of young kids in Wellsford and across Northland who have the potential to do well, and it was a challenge for coaches like him to give them the pathway to reach their goal.

He can’t think of any regrets during a colourful rugby career. “There could have been opportunities to go overseas throughout my rugby career but I didn’t feel like it was for me. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”

Advice to budding rugby players? “Lot of kids probably give up too easy. A bit of perseverance and persistence goes a long way, especially when you’re getting to that age where you can be influenced to go different ways. Even if you’re not the best player, you can still grind out a good career.”

Rugby followers around the globe revered All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu but for Wright, good props and scrummagers were his idols.

“I always liked the way [former All Black] Kees Meeuws played. I got to play against him when he was playing for Otago and I was playing for Northland. Probably wasn’t as tough as he was back in his prime but he was definitely a good prop.”