Koroi gets chance to impress

Even six years back Vilimoni Koroi (with ball) showed he was a future talent. Photo/File

Sixteen-year-old Vilimoni Koroi has pleasantly surprised his former Wanganui rugby coaches after being named in the wider All Blacks Sevens training squad in camp at Mount Maunganui this week.

The former Wanganui High School Fijian-born student now boarding at Feilding High School gets to impress All Blacks Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens this week ahead of the IRB Tokyo and Hong Kong 7s tournaments.

Originally from Suva, Koroi was selected out of Wanganui High School where he made the Wanganui U16 team and was also named Most Valuable Player in the Hurricanes U15 tournament.

Earlier he gained recognition as an all-round sportsman - winning intermediate 100m sprints and making the NZ U17 touch rugby team. Koroi was chosen for this honour after outstanding play to help the Whanganui U17 mixed touch rugby team beat Auckland in the final at the 2014 Junior National Touch Championships in Papamoa to take the national title in February. Koroi was also a pivotal player at wing when the WHS 1st XV won the Manawatu Premier 1 competition in the season just gone.

During his 15-aside and sevens time with WHS his talent was not missed by coach Darryl Malcolm and nor by his U17 Whanganui mixed touch rugby coach Cornell Mason.

Both agree Koroi fully deserved his inclusion in the wider All Blacks Sevens training squad. The only surprise was how rapidly he had progressed.

Malcolm and Mason were both slightly surprised he had received the call at 16.

"He's a very talented player with natural flair and very quick. You name it he can do it," Mason said yesterday.

"It doesn't surprise me he has made the All Black Sevens squad, the only surprise is he got the call at just 16-year-old. He deserves it though and it's primo - awesome."

Malcolm said he had always shown real promise.

"I'd heard he made the squad and that's great. He was a big part of both our 15-a-side and sevens teams at WHS and the school is very proud of him. I must admit while he deserves his chance, I was a bit surprised given his age," Malcolm said.

Koroi will be joined in camp by fellow schoolboys, Elias Goodhue and Nathaniel Apa.