Tauasosi Tuimavave: Patience, Persistence and Destiny

Above: Tauasosi Tuimavave, playing for Poneke last season, has been selected in the New Zealand U20 quad to contest the IRB Junior World Championship in Auckland in June.

Tauasosi Tuimavave dreamt of playing rugby while growing up in Samoa. As a child he would watch professional rugby on TV with his friends and family.

His father, Tautasi Tuimavave, would occasionally travel to New Zealand and on return would bring back rugby balls to the village - balls in which all of the boys would fight over and try and claim as their own. Tauasosi must have stood firm! He is now a New Zealand Under-20's representative.

The highly-promising prospect migrated to New Zealand at the age of 10 in 2003. Upon arrival fate seemed to take over. Tuimavave is blessed with extreme natural ability and can break open a game. With that natural talent is also something even more important; his hunger, desire and work ethic.

St Patrick's College in Kilbirnie, Wellington was where people began to take note of Tuimavave. He was earmarked to progress higher and looks back on college rugby with fondness.

"Hanging with the boys is the main thing I remember. " Tuimavave says. "2010 was 'special' because we beat Silverstream for the first time since 1997."

In fact Town beat Silverstream twice in 2010, won 18 out of 21 games and finished runners-up in Premier One for the first time since 2006.

In 2011, Town beat Wellington College (24-20) for the first time in five years and reached the Premier One semi-finals, a feat they repeated in 2012.

It was well-known that Tuimavave was likely to earn a selection for New Zealand Secondary Schools' team but broken bones hindered that plan.

"I broke my arm three times which was bad luck. It really got me down not being able to play. It was hard to watch and I couldn't even go to the games. It was a challenge and got me angry; it did make me more patient though".

Tuimavave thanks dad for his success. "My dad has always been there for me. He would train me a lot. He would take me to the field or make me go for a run, even when I was down."

That hard work in the face of adversity has paid off.

Tuimavave burst on to the club rugby scene in Wellington last year scoring 229 points for Poneke. In one game he amassed 50 points (6 tries, 10 conversions), an epic feat at any level, but particularly premier Wellington rugby.

Tuimavave says, "Poneke has always been there for me. The people there make you feel like you belong."

Tuimavave outlines a slight difference between College rugby and club rugby. "I wouldn't say there's a massive difference between club and college rugby. I think college rugby was faster, but club rugby is tougher physically".

Tuimavave's outstanding form for Poneke earned him a spot in the New Zealand Under-20's camps. Tuimavave explains the selection process.

?"The selection process was the most nervous and awkward thing. But when my name did get read out I just thought ‘thank the lord. My dad is very proud, just seeing him smile makes me happy."

Outside of rugby faith plays a large role in Tuimavave's life.

"Church is a big part of me. Hanging with my family and friends is big for me. Time away is big too. If I didn't do these things out side of rugby I wouldn't have the motivation that I have now."

Touching down on New Zealand soil in 2003 rugby was foreign but a desire nonetheless.

"I didn't know anything about rugby. I just knew to run straight and run hard".

In June we will see this young talent climb to new heights in the black jersey; running straight and running hard.