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How rugby helped Alex Nankivell 'find my dad's birth father'
It’s not every day that a selection in a rugby team leads you to find your genetic grandfather, but that was exactly the case for former Maori All Black and recent Munster import Alex Nankivell.
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The 27-year-old headed offshore after a stellar 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, opting not to be defined by any potential All Blacks selection and explore the doors his rugby talents had opened for him.
In his first four showings for Munster, the Kiwi has impressed with his all-around game and work ethic. That will come as no surprise to Kiwi fans, because while Nankivell fell just outside Ian Foster’s favour for All Blacks honours, the utility back was a guaranteed selection for both the All Blacks XV and Maori All Blacks.
His first Maori All Blacks cap came in 2019, after some digging confirmed the unsung Chiefs hero’s heritage.
“It was a bit of a surprise getting called in,” Nankivell told the Munster Rugby YouTube channel.
“Obviously, you’ve got to have Maori heritage. My dad’s adopted, so he didn’t know his parents but he knew through the grapevine somehow that he was Maori.
“There was lots of digging and it was pretty special, we ended up finding my dad’s birth father. He knew his birth mother, we found her a few years ago, but then we found his birth father and all his family.
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“It was pretty cool. I got to represent the Maori All Blacks, my family and extended family and where I’m from. Also, a part of it too we got to find my dad’s family.”
It may well have been while representing the Maori All Blacks against Ireland in 2022 when Nankivell captured the interest of Munster’s coaches, who he had a second opportunity to impress with the All Blacks XV later last year in Dublin.
While the prospect of a new All Blacks coach in a new World Cup cycle was a tempting proposition, a fresh challenge in Ireland enticed Nankivell’s competitive instincts and he found himself signing a two-year deal.
Following in the footsteps of fellow former Chiefs players Bundee Aki and James Lowe, there is a clear pathway for Kiwi success in Ireland. Nankivell may also learn from his predecessor in the Munster midfield, Malakai Fekitoa, who had somewhat of an underwhelming impact for the club.
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While he admits it was a nervous time moving to the other side of the world to play a different brand of rugby, Nankivell says his first few months with the club have “honestly been unreal.”
“I had a bit of anxiety coming over, not really knowing too many people but John Ryan helped me out a lot. He was the bridge between coming from the Chiefs to here. It’s been awesome. The lads have looked after me.
“When you’ve been playing in New Zealand for a different team and a different system and having to come back over here and learn a completely different system was challenging.
“I haven’t fully grasped all of the systems and little intricacies that they do differently over here but I think it’s probably the best way to be fair, you learn quicker when you get thrown in the deep end.
“It’s been awesome to pull on the jersey four times already, so excited for the next one.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
27 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
27 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
27 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
27 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
27 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
27 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
27 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
7 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
4 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
7 Go to comments