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Former Hurricane Willis Halahalo's rise from gangs and heavy drinking to Wales international
Willis Halaholo has reflected on his remarkable rise from Auckland’s gang culture to the brink of winning a Guinness Six Nations title with Wales.
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The New Zealand-born centre, who won a Super Rugby title with the Hurricanes in 2016 and qualifies for Wales on residency, made strong contributions as a second-half substitute in victories over Scotland and England.
With a Triple Crown safely in the trophy cabinet, Wales will continue their Grand Slam push against Italy next Saturday, when 30-year-old Halaholo could make his first test start.
And it is all a far cry from his teenage years, when heavy drinking and gangs were part of Halaholo’s life.
He also became a father during his final year in school, which ultimately proved a catalyst for the change of direction he so badly needed.
“I was just involved in a lot of heavy drinking. In my last year of high school I ended up having a daughter,” Cardiff Blues player Halaholo said.
“I was quite young at that age and it messed with my head a bit, and I ended up going down a different path with drinking and getting into a gang culture.
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“It was the usual hanging around with the boys on the block. That happened for a couple of years, but I am just happy I turned things around.
“When my daughter was only a few months old, I didn’t know much about being a father.
“I didn’t know much until she was about two or three and started to talk. Up until then I felt like a stranger to her, and it was then I started to change things. I got there just in time.
“And about eight or nine years ago, I decided to give rugby a proper go. I dropped all the bad habits, knuckled down and finally put a bit of hard work in.
“Funnily enough, Wayne (Wales head coach Wayne Pivac) was coach of Auckland at the time. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be a part of that squad at the time, so I took my talent elsewhere and tried to make a name myself down the line in New Zealand.
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“We have met each other again and he (Pivac) has picked me up now, so I am happy with that.”
Only twice in Wayne Pivac's 13-Test tenure have Wales been able to pick the same No9 from one game to the next… and they now have to change again for Italy ? #SixNations #ITAvWALhttps://t.co/ZE3CAAt8ih
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 4, 2021
Pivac named Halaholo, who joined the Blues five years ago and quickly settled into Welsh life with his wife and family, as part of his first Wales squad after succeeding Warren Gatland as head coach, but he then suffered a serious knee injury that required surgery.
It meant months on the sidelines, but Halaholo’s determination and drive again reaped dividends as he gained another Wales squad call-up last month and made his debut against Scotland at Murrayfield.
“When you are injured, negative thoughts creep into your head, but now that I am here I am just taking it day by day, step by step and learning from the boys,” he added.
“It is really special, especially for my parents back home, who worked hard for us to succeed. They moved from Tonga without a word of English and learned a new language, just trying to provide.
“All they have wanted was to see us kids succeed, and seeing me reach that level I guess really made them proud.
“They (parents) have been watching from Auckland, so every Saturday night they move their mattress into the lounge and get ready to wake up at five or six in the morning with my family.
“My brother and his kids come over on a Saturday night, and they all camp in the lounge ready to watch the game.
“I have had a lot of messages from boys and older cousins and stuff who saw me at my worst coming out of high school and doing things I should not have been doing.
“Even they can’t believe where I have got, and they are really proud.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments