Rugby: Manu is student not only of rugby

By WYNNE GRAY

As a teenager Deacon Manu was more interested in golf. It was not until his sixth-form year that he had his first serious crack at rugby.

This week he sat two exams as part of his post-graduate BSc work into environmental planning, with particular emphasis on coastal marine development.

Round those disciplines he trained for Waikato's next Ranfurly Shield challenge, from North Harbour tomorrow.

"It has been a bit tricky but you need an outlet to balance your lifestyle," Manu said yesterday. "It keeps you busy and the lecturers have been fairly understanding at times.

"I think the mix of study and sport is important, especially today when you have to think about things beyond rugby."

In his secondary schooldays at Francis Douglas Memorial College near New Plymouth, Manu mixed study and sport, too. But the classroom took priority, while golf was his passion as he got down to a nine handicap before trying rugby in the sixth form.

But Manu was talented enough to make the first XV as a prop in his last year at school as he combined his sporting interests with his role as head boy. Since that sporting switch five years ago, Manu's rugby journey has been impressive.

He was part of the NZ Colts side who won the Southern Hemisphere title this season and is starting to consolidate his role as tighthead prop for Waikato. He has replaced the experienced Paul Martin and seems to be following the Taranaki propping production line.

Manu was at school with Tony Penn, and is part of an export group of Carl Hayman, Greg Feek and the injured Michael Collins, while Gordon Slater and Tama Tuirarangi are left with Penn to do the business for Taranaki.

The son of a Maori father and Fijian mother, Manu followed his mum's urging that he go to university. Auckland did not appeal, Palmerston North was close, but Waikato won out, largely because Manu's elder sister, Danielle, was studying there.

"I was always more into the academic side of things and always wanted to do the best with my studies," he said. "It is really more important."

But the 121kg tighthead prop did not neglect his new sport.

There was club rugby, then the Super 12 Colts series, and this season, a stint with the New Zealand Colts when Manu learned plenty from coach Peter Sloane and manager Sean Fitzpatrick.

"I was in awe of looking up to Fitzy and the next thing he was running round getting drinks for us at training. But he gave us some great tips, it was a top experience."

Waikato hooker Greg Smith has got into Manu's ear as well, and not just at scrum time. As Fiji's leader he wondered whether Manu was keen to use his heritage to play for the Pacific Island team.

No dice, said Manu, the target was New Zealand. Besides, he had just started top-class rugby.

"The NPC and Ranfurly Shield, it has all been an eye-opening experience, just tremendous. The year has gone well so far, the idea is just to keep going with that."