by Glenn Watson glenn.watson@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
Waisake Ratunideuba will be let off school early tomorrow, with Wanganui City College principal Peter Kaua's blessing.
The 18-year-old Fijian international student will make his debut on the wing for the Wanganui rep rugby team against an IRANZ Academy side in Palmerston North.
Kaua is confident his star pupil, the school's deputy head boy, won't let coach Guy Lennox down.
"He's an excellent boy, very respectful," says Kaua. "Very good academically, but an outstanding athlete. He has so much mana among the other kids."
Waisake's biggest asset is his blinding speed. Earlier this year he clocked 11.03s when winning silver in the 100m at the North Island secondary schools athletics champs in Wellington.
Now Waisake, a tall lad at 1.8 metres, wants to put that speed to good use for Wanganui tomorrow.
He says he knows a few of his rep mates but will get the chance to bond with the rest before kickoff.
Waisake said he couldn't believe his ears when Lennox rang him a couple of weeks ago and asked him to strut his stuff at a training run.
Whatever he did there must have convinced Lennox and his coaching staff he was worth a shot.
Principal Kaua, for one, is convinced Waisake will justify Lennox's faith in his boy.
"He's a brilliant kid, great to watch. I've been involved in schoolboy rugby for a long time and this kid is a standout."
Waisake, who has two brothers and a sister back home in Sigatoka, says his family was overjoyed with his sudden rise to rugby stardom in the city.
"My father told me to do my best. He's proud of my achievements," said Waisake, who boards with his uncle in Wanganui.
And news of his elevation to rep rugby status spread quicker than his legs around his college yesterday morning.
"There were plenty of high fives and handshakes," said Waisake.
For the future, Waisake is keen to gain a place at Murray Mexted's IRANZ Academy, though there are some rules regarding international students to hurdle first.
A goal-setter, Waisake has one eye on an All Blacks jersey - hopefully emulating the feats of his Fijian countrymen Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko.
The other eye is on his wing opponent in tomorrow's game. That player should be extremely worried.
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