Black Ferns debutants (from left) Risi Pouri-Lane, Jorja Miller, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu and Vici-Rose Green celebrate their 79–14 win over the USA. Photo / Getty Images
Black Ferns debutants (from left) Risi Pouri-Lane, Jorja Miller, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu and Vici-Rose Green celebrate their 79–14 win over the USA. Photo / Getty Images
Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu debuted for the Black Ferns, fulfilling her late mother Maire Fakalelu’s dream.
Her family, including her mother’s cousin Roberta Reed, supported her at North Harbour Stadium.
Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s resilience and hard work were celebrated, with her carrying her parents’ memory.
Suzanne McFadden for LockerRoom
In the last weeks of her life, Maire Fakalelu confided to her cousin what she would miss most was seeing her daughter, Veisinia, make her debut for the Black Ferns.
Maire passed away in 2021 from an aggressive and rare bone cancer, leaving behind five children.Just a few years earlier, their father – her husband Sekope Fakalelu – died from stomach cancer.
The rookie tighthead prop had a massive family presence at the stadium, including her four siblings and her mother’s cousin Roberta Reed, who presented Mahutariki-Fakalelu with her Black Ferns playing jersey the night before the test – the Black Ferns’ last home game before defending their World Cup title in England in August.
Roberta Reed, cousin of Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s mother, presented the rookie prop with her Black Ferns jersey ahead of the match. Photo / Suzanne McFadden, LockerRoom
Reed was chosen to do the honours by Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s three older brothers – Paeahu, Jakob and Tyrone – and younger sister, Serene, because she’s stepped in over the past four years to help the Hamilton-based whānau since they lost their mum. Reed would drive the teenaged Mahutariki-Fakalelu to training sessions, and was with her when she had knee surgery a couple of years ago.
The family of Mahutariki-Fakalelu proudly carried her banner around North Harbour Stadium, with brother Jakob (far left) and sister Serene (centre) leading the tribute. Photo / Suzanne McFadden, LockerRoom
“My cousin, Maire, and I spent a lot of time together; we worked at the same primary school. I told her I would always support the kids,” Reed said from the packed embankment, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with images of Mahutariki-Fakalelu and her parents.
“She knew back in 2021 that her girl was going to be a Black Fern and play on this stage, but she was just sad she wouldn’t get to see her wear the black jersey.
“Those kids have been through so much; we’ve been crying the last couple of weeks wondering how they’re getting through this. After all Vei’s resilience, perseverance and hard work she really deserves this. I’m so proud of her.”
Mahutariki-Fakalelu showed off her explosive ball-carrying and scrummaging skills during her 40 minutes on the field and felt she carried her late parents’ memory with her every metre.
Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu during Black Ferns training. Photo / Getty Images
“They are here in spirit, they are with me everywhere I go, I know that,” the physiotherapy student said afterwards, laden with an impossible number of lolly leis – from her head to her thighs – while cradling the Pacific Four trophy.
Many in the crowd had come to see social media maven and USA powerhouse centre Ilona Maher, or the reinvigorated GOAT of Black Ferns try-scorers, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and her Sevens Sisters. No one left disappointed – Woodman-Wickliffe dotted down seven tries in 80 minutes, while Maher stayed on for selfies with several hundred young fans, despite the sting of such a hefty loss.
But it seemed just as many were there to support Mahutariki-Fakalelu, who spent at least 30 minutes on the infield posing for photos with a steady stream of family and friends – all armed with leis and huge banners of their hero.
Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (left) and Vici-Rose Green (right) with the Pacific Four Series trophy. Photo / Getty Images
“My whānau are everything to me, so to have them here is something I will never forget,” she said. “To make my debut in front of them was so special because some Black Ferns don’t get to, when they play their first games overseas.”
A contingent from Australia – including Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s aunties and brother Tyrone (who played touch for Tonga at last year’s World Cup) – came over for the final game of the Pacific Four Series.
Another brother, Jakob, wasn’t surprised Mahutariki-Fakalelu had realised her childhood dream to play for the Black Ferns – but he hadn’t expected it would happen so early in her career, especially after a patella injury kept her sidelined for a season.
“Through all the trials and tribulations we’ve been navigating our way through, Vei has worked her butt off to get to where she is,” said Jakob, whose own sporting career is on the rise. A member of the New Zealand men’s netball high-performance squad last year, the tall goal shoot is playing for the Magic men this season.
“She’s one of the hardest workers in the room, we always say that. She’s an inspiration to all of our family.
Black Ferns debut a dream realised for young player after family loss. Photo / Getty Images
“She’s so kind, her heart is humungous. And she’s been very blessed with the traits of our mum and dad, and the virtues they instilled in us.”
It’s always assumed, Jakob says, that Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s towering height comes from their Tongan father, but their Cook Islander mum “was six foot – and she’s the shortest sister”.
“Vei’s drive and passion came from Dad, who played rugby all through the grades. He was always such a big fan of Vei through her primary school and intermediate years,” Jakob says. Her mum, though, was her biggest supporter and helper.
Mahutariki-Fakalelu played touch and netball to representative level as a kid, but it was at Hamilton Girls’ High School that her rugby career bloomed.
“The rugby programme at Hamilton Girls’ is very strong and they took her in,” says Jakob. “She had amazing mentors throughout her school years; [Black Ferns Sevens players] Jazmin Hotham and Manaia Nuku really looked after her in Year 9.”
While she was there, Mahutariki-Fakalelu won two national secondary schools touch titles, and two 1st XV national rugby titles. She was still at school when she played in the Waikato women’s side who won the 2021 Farah Palmer Cup.
Waikato coach James Semple saw she had the size, power and work ethic to excel on the field, and last year decided the powerful No 8’s skills were better suited to prop. It was fellow Black Fern prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu who put Mahutariki-Fakalelu through her first scrum session nine months ago and helped her make the successful transition.
Waikato coach James Semple saw Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu’s potential and led her successful shift from No.8 to prop last season. Photo / Getty Images
“She was just amazing. Her willingness to help others despite what she was going through is something I really appreciated,” said the Chiefs Manawa front rower, after she was named in the Black Ferns for the first time. Tangen-Wainohu made her return to the squad after undergoing neck surgery.
“I see the transition as an opportunity to be a No 8 but I also scrum. I still play the same style of rugby as I did when I was a loose forward – I’m just adding to my kete.”
Even while she’s been on tour for the past three weeks, Mahutariki-Fakalelu has been taking care of her siblings from a distance.
“Vei messages us every day, even when she’s away with rugby,” Jakob said. “She’s making sure everything at home is still happening despite how busy her schedule is.”
For the past eight years, Mahutariki-Fakalelu and her family spend every Wednesday night volunteering at The Serve, a Hamilton organisation that serves evening meals every day of the year to those in the community who are homeless or in need.
“She’s been messaging us through the day on Wednesdays saying, ‘Make sure the potatoes are ready for The Serve’, in case we forget,” laughed Jakob.
“We’re super close, but we’ve had no choice but to be. We’ve had to grow up really fast. It’s always us against the world, we say.”
In the moments before Mahutariki-Fakalelu ran out onto the field on Saturday, Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant gave her a hug. “Knowing the resilience Vei’s shown to get to this point, it was such a privilege to share this moment on the field with her,” Demant said. “I know that’s just the first of many games in the black jersey for her.
“She was very nervous most of the week, but as we went from training to training, she got a lot more confident. I actually thought she was going to score down in the corner at one point of the game.”
Demant told the debutant to enjoy every moment, “because it goes so fast”. And it was just how Mahutariki-Fakalelu felt.
“It’s all a blur – the game was so fast and the adrenaline was pumping,” she said, struggling under the weight of hundreds of chocolate bars hanging around her neck. “I’m just trying to make the most of every moment out here.”
At one point she said to no one in particular, “Does anyone else want a turn with the trophy?” But no one came to wrest it from her. This was her night.
This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.
