'They wanted me to apologise to the fans': The apprentice builder who went from Spain to the All Blacks Sevens
Three days before Jayden Keelan was due in Spain to play a second season of club rugby he received a surprise phone call from Tomasi Cama.
The All Blacks Sevens coach offered the apprentice builder a full-time New Zealand contract.
When Fenix Zaragoza heard Keelan was bailing on them, they were initially very unimpressed.
“They wanted me to apologise to the fans. I was excited to be going back. It was hard to say no to them but a whole new adventure with the Sevens was too big to reject. After I had done whatever I needed to do, they were excited for me,” Keelan told RugbyPass.
With his impish smile and naturally cheerful personality, Keelan is likable from the outset and easy to forgive. His rugby is not to be underestimated either.
Despite playing just half a season of Manawatu club rugby for College Old Boys, Keelan won the Best and Fairest – Goldfinch and Cousins Trophy. That accolade has been won by All Blacks Kevin Eveleigh (1972), Ken Granger (1975), and Maori All Blacks up-and-comer TK Howden (2020).
Keelan played first five-eighth. In a late-season fixture against Te Kawau, 43-year-old Tomasi Cama appeared in midfield.
“It was at Te Kawau on a bloody paddock they’d just got the cattle off. I put on my ankle braces on and tried to play strategy in the wet, get the ball moving. Tomasi jumped on from the bench and we ended up winning. In the dressing room afterward, he asked me if I was keen to come and have a jam against Tonga. I turned up to the trial in Auckland, did a little two-week camp, and thought that was it,” Keelan said.
Cama had bigger ideas. He told the press on February 9.
“When I saw him play it was obvious, he has the raw skill set, understanding of the game and great footwork. What is really important in a good sevens player is work ethic; you can’t shy away from the tough stuff and Jayden has the right attitude, so we think he’ll become a great player for us.”
Keelan hasn’t been selected for the fourth round of SVNS in Vancouver this weekend. However, with the All Blacks Sevens sixth in the present standings, they might soon need an additional spark.
“I hope to bring everything I’ve learned over my time of playing footy, a bit of speed, something a bit different I guess,” Keelan said
In Spain, where the overall winner of SVNS will be decided in May and June, the country where Keelan thrived at Fenix Zaragoza.
“It was unreal. It was only three hour’s drive from Madrid and Barcelona. With rugby, there was a normal stage and a more competitive elite stage. We didn’t quite make the final of the elite stage but we won more games than we lost,” Keelan said.
“The culture was very similar to New Zealand except for the different language. They play on these nice artificial turfs too so the rugby was fast but they do love a kick. There were lots of Argentinians and South Africans who brought the physicality.”
Keelan was born in Tolaga Bay, 45km northeast of Gisborne. His father is Lieutenant Colonel William Keelan. Dad’s service in the New Zealand army meant Jayden attended “at least six schools” before being put in the boarding hostel at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, not far from Linton Army camp.
“I was pretty loose, a shithead actually, because I grew up in all these random places, Malaysia, Fiji, and I wasn’t settled. When I was in Hawaii I really got into my surfing and then my parents put me in Palmy smack bang in the middle of nothing, surrounded by bogans taking exhausts off their cars, That’s when I got into footy. I’ve had some unbelievable times and made some unbelievable friends.”
One of those friends is Wellington, Hurricanes, and Maori All Blacks fullback Ruben Love. In 2019 Keelan and Love played together in a First XV that made the top eight in New Zealand.
“My last year I planned to play fullback. My coaches said that would happen and I was like ‘All good, I’ll get my hands on the ball’ and then Ruben decided to come back so I stayed on the wing,” Keelan laughed.
“We went to Sevens Nationals and Ruben got injured in the first game against the worst team we played in the tournament. We ended up making the top four. We lost to Hamilton by a try and they went on to win the final by 30 points.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Good summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
1 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
5 Go to comments