'You showed the world your heart': Heartbreaking farewell for Blues prop Mike Tamoaieta after his sudden death

Mike Tamoaieta holding the trophy after the Blues triumphed at the Brisbane Global Tens. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

When they watched him acting, badly, mourners at Mike Tamoaieta's funeral giggled.

When footage followed of him dancing, badly too, the laughter grew.

And when a clip of the Blues prop's breakout moment, a dazzling, soon-to-be viral try at last year's Brisbane Rugby 10s, the hundreds packed into Otara's Hope Centre today clapped and cheered.

For a little over an hour, those who had gathered to say goodbye to the 23-year-old following his sudden death eight days ago, had listened as those who loved him spoke about what a great partner, son, brother, friend and rugby player he was.

Now those gathered, among them former All Blacks Sir Michael Jones, Tana Umaga, Leon MacDonald and Ma'a Nonu, and former All Blacks coach John Hart and New Zealand Rugby president Maurice Trapp, were seeing it.

And there was more, because Tamoaieta was a dad too, a devoted one who played with his daughter after work for hours and, aged 17, told his partner Helen Ti'eti'e he "had a plan to make it in rugby, so he could provide for his family".

They saw that too — Tamoaieta's face appeared on the big screen in a video he made for his daughter the day she started school last year.

In a soft voice, the big prop shared a loving message for his only child.

"Hi Aihana, I hope you have fun and make lots of friends on your first day of school ... I miss you and I'm sorry that I'm not there."

Earlier, Tamoaieta's Sacred Heart College first XV coach Dave Dillon had described the moment the teen said he was going to be a dad.

"I could see the joy in his eyes."

Later Sacred Heart College pupils would join those from the Blues in performing haka in Tamoaieta's honour as his coffin was taken from the church for his burial at Māngere Lawn Cemetery.

Others at the farewell described the man known as Mikey T as humble and genuine, a kind-hearted person despite his imposing size, and Dillon had seen that side in action after being stunned when he first spotted the kid on the field "with everything — the power, the footwork and the fend".

"Once he's run over top of you, he'll come back and pick you up and say 'Sorry bro'."

Tamoaieta played 10 Super Rugby games for the Blues last year and was involved in the side's pre-season victories over the Chiefs and Hurricanes. He had also been a Samoa under-20 representative.

Tamoaieta's mother, Maria Tamoaieta, spoke of the gentle teasing in their relationship, and their many chats.

"We would joke about his stomach. He'd say 'Mum, it's a six-pack'. And I would reply 'It's a 12-pack'.

"I thought you were going to bury me, now I have to bury you."

For Ti'eti'e, the last eight years with the "most loving" partner and father had been the best of her life.

They had started off as "just kids having kids, just another statistic", Ti'eti'e said.

"You didn't end up a statistic, you broke those walls down and you showed the world your heart. I'll forever be proud of you Mikey T."