Hamilton Marist's Newton Tudreu takes on the University defence in 2022. Photo / Tony Hall - Hamilton Marist
Lautoka born-Hamilton Marist winger Newton Tudreu, 29, was dubbed "one of the fastest players to grace the green and white jersey" of the Manawatū Turbos rugby side.
Now a teacher at Hamilton's Maeroa Intermediate after completing his Graduate Diploma in Primary Education last year, Tudreu has had a fair crack at his rugby dream, representing both Manawatū and Waikato in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.
An unconventional rugby journey, Tudreu's rugby footprints started off in Nadi, Fiji.
"I come from a pretty sporty family so we were always around sports growing up. Rugby, soccer, hockey and basketball, but rugby for me was the sport I just fell I love with. I was 13 years old when I started playing footy seriously - on the hot, hard and dry grounds in Nadi," says Tudreu, who is of Kiribati and Fijian heritage.
"I didn't play too much rugby in high school. I went to a little Christian school called Nadi Christian Community School and played club rugby and trained with Nadi Airport Rugby in CAAF Compound (Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji) as a young kid.
"I also played sevens for Ratu Navula College with Fiji reps like Josua Tuisova and Filipo Nakosi. It wasn't 'til I came to New Zealand for university that I saw it as something I wanted to really pursue."
The Fiji Bati rugby league under-18 rep headed to New Zealand in 2012 after taking up an IPC scholarship (Palmerston North's International Pacific College).
He then became a part of Palmerston North's Kia Toa Rugby Football Club before he was selected in the 2013 Manawatū Turbos squad, playing seven games that season.
Current Taupiri Rugby Club Leroy van Dam played on the wing alongside him that year.
After his debut NPC season, Tudreu got to don the Hurricanes jersey in a 2014 Super Rugby pre-season match against the Blues, where he came up against Kiwis legend Benji Marshall.
"I got a call from the Manawatū coach at the time, Jason O'Halloran, asking if I wanted to play pre-season for the Hurricanes, I was like "Yeah!". The Hurricanes backs coach at the time, Alama Ieremia, said he had watched me play sevens for Manawatū and thought I had potential," says Tudreu.
"That was one hell of an experience. A week training with the likes of Julian Savea, Cory Jane and Conrad Smith and then getting to play alongside men like Nehe-Milner-Skudder, Marty Banks, Ardie Savea, Hadleigh Parkes and Tim Bateman - it was surreal."
That same year, Tudreu was joined in the Kia Toa and Turbos sides, by older brother Nathan who had also come to New Zealand to further his education.
The Tudreu duo became the first brothers to play together on the wings for Manawatū (in known modern times) as they both scored tries against Bay Of Plenty.
"It was such a proud brother moment, seeing him come over from Fiji and carve up in club rugby then get a contract and to play alongside him for Manawatū!"
"Then witnessing him score the winning try for Manawatū in the 2014 championship final - what a moment!"
Nathan stuck with his brother for a further two seasons at the Turbos.
Tudreu represented Manawatū on 36 occasions from 2013-2017, during which time he completed his Bachelor of International Studies and was a rugby development officer for the Union, before moving north to the Waikato region.
Linking up with Hamilton Marist, he played two matches and scored a try for the Waikato NPC side in 2019.
In 2020, Tudreu returned to headline Manawatū's signings along with fellow former Turbos rep Mike Fitzgerald – although Tudreu only played four games before tearing his hip flexor which ruled him out for the season.
"It meant the world to me being able to wear the jerseys of two provincial teams. I know a lot of boys dream of playing in the NPC and for me to be able to play for two distinguished teams alongside some class players has been such an honour," says Tudreu.
"I have two career highlights. Winning the Championship in 2014 with the Manawatū Turbos for the first time in over 30 years and then winning the National Sevens with Waikato in 2019, pretty special moments that I'll cherish forever."
Although he hasn't been on the NPC scene for the past few years, he is still a regular starter on the wing for Marist.
In the 2022 Waikato club rugby season he earned his blazer after playing 35 premier matches for the club, a proud feat he also achieved at Kia Toa.
"I had lots of injuries and niggles over the five years I've been playing for the club but it was such a privilege to get to play that blazer game for such a prestigious club here in New Zealand," he says.
"I've been loyal to the two teams. I've only ever played club rugby for Kia Toa and Hamilton Marist."
Outside of New Zealand and Fiji, Tudreu says the only times he played overseas was for the New Zealand Academy on a tour of the Philippines and Hong Kong.
"It would be awesome to get some experience overseas but it may be a little late for that."
Over his rugby career he says that classy former Māori All Blacks first five-eighths Otere Black was his favourite player to play alongside, while the hardest player he has played against was giant Fijian flyer Nemani Nadolo.
"The relationships and friendships I've created over the years is what keeps me coming back. Being able to play alongside and against men who've played for Fiji, Tonga, England, USA, Canada and to have trained with women who've become Black Ferns," says Tudreu.
"It's the camaraderie that rugby gives, that's one thing I'm going to miss [when I retire].'