Bonding with a former All Black

SARAH CODDINGTON

Ryan James always thought he was the only child who had a stutter, but then he met former All Black Royce Willis.

On the eve of the Rugby World Cup final the Hillcrest resident treated children from START – the Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust to a game of rugby at Wynyard Quarter.

Mr Willis was four years old when he began to stutter. These days he only stutters when he is nervous.

Ryan, 8, started to stutter when he first started to form words. He attends START to learn techniques to control his stutter.

"Some days he can wake up and be absolutely fine and others he isn't," his mother Michaela says.

Royce, who is an ambassador for the organisation, says as a child growing up he also thought he was the only one who had a stutter.

"It's good for them to know there are other children with the same issue and that it is nothing to be ashamed about," he says.

It affected his self confidence and he could barely bring himself to talk to people when he was younger.

"Because I wouldn't ask questions my academic performance suffered too. I think people thought I was dumb," the 36-year-old says.

As a child he did not have much help with his condition until he turned 12 and was assessed at a learning difficulty programme.

Growing up he focused on his sport and made the ultimate achievement in 1998 when he was selected for the All Blacks.

Mr Willis played two tests against South Africa and Australia and made five appearances at the Rugby World Cup in England.

Until recently he has been playing for the Kobelco Steelers in Japan.

It was International Stuttering Awareness Day this month. START is New Zealand's only specialist stuttering treatment centre.

Go to www.stuttering.co.nz or call 379-6364 to read Mr Willis' and other ambassadors' profiles or for more information.

- © Fairfax NZ News