Sione's stepping up

BY IAN ANDERSON

What next – Jesse Ryder captaining the Black Caps? Hone Harawira named leader of the Maori Party?

The appointment of Sione Lauaki as captain for the first three games of the Chiefs' Super 14 campaign sent the collective jaws of the region's rugby fans crashing to the floor like Richie McCaw after receiving a trademark Lauaki fend.

But coach Ian Foster is convinced Lauaki is the right man for the job while All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina is out of action.

"First and foremost we had to bring someone in with Mils out," Foster said.

"And Sione's part of a pretty good group around him, a leadership team.

"To be honest, we're not asking him to do anything different than last year, when he was part of the leadership group on and off field."

And Lauaki says he's ready to step up too.

It's a massive leap for the 28-year-old, who seemed destined to head overseas last year after an eight-year representative career packed with some giddying highs and forgettable lows.

The loose forward has been in and out of the All Blacks since his debut in 2005 and no longer sees himself in consideration for the black jersey.

Off-field, Lauaki has hit the headlines through errant behaviour.

Last year, he underwent an anger management course after appearing in court on a charge of wilful damage.

In 2006, he was offered police diversion after admitting assaulting a Hamilton security officer and later that year hit a rival player following an argument outside a bar.

His rap sheet doesn't produce a compelling case as a CV for captaincy.

When I caught up with Lauaki at training this week, he initially looked anything but leadership material.

Struck down by a bug, Lauaki wasn't on the field and I walked right by the hulking 1.92m, 119kg forward, who was sitting forlornly on a step at Fred Jones Park, head buried inside the drawn-down hood of a black sweatshirt.

So what does Foster see in his new captain others don't?

Lauaki's not going to win any prizes for public speaking – his answers are at times hesitant and he stumbles for the right words.

"Um, he hasn't really talked to me much about that stuff because... I guess I've been in the Chiefs for a while and I know what he expects of me and other senior players that we have.

"So, I guess, if anything it's to make sure that the leaders all come together and do our part because, we've helped build the leadership group and the foundation here with the Chiefs.

"We all know how it operates.

"I guess having a lot of senior players in the team makes it easier for me.

"For myself I've just got to do my part in the game plan, fitting in with the roles I have to play and in doing that I know that, like I said before, the other senior players have put their hands up and the team spirit we have is pretty good."

Lauaki has been viewed as unfit, lazy, hot-headed and bad news. That's not something that worried the Chiefs coach.

"I'm not sure what the public perception is," Foster said.

"The boys trust him.

"Has he had a faultless past? Clearly the answer is no, but I don't think many of us have.

"He has grown from a young man, matured. This is a sign of his progress and a new challenge for him.

"There's a lot to him – he has a great sense of humour, he cares about people."

Does Lauaki agree?

"Oh yeah definitely... I've had... had my... times of learning," he said slowly.

"I guess I've made mistakes and I guess I'm not looking behind me now, I'm just looking ahead to the challenges and excitement that I do have now."

So it's a more mature Sione Lauaki?

"Yeah I guess so. Having time off, time off the field, being with family – I'm growing up from being a rugby player.

"Being young, you're loving to go out and that kind of stuff. The more you get older the more your responsibilities and stuff like that change, you know things that you've got to do.

"As a senior player in the team it's a phase you go through and you start making those decisions when you have to," said Lauaki, who has a partner, two sons and a daughter.

"I don't think being the captain has changed anything though.

"You know, it's funny, the boys said to me the other day, I was joking around like... `how come you're still the same like, mucking around at training?' Well, this is me, I'm not like, you know.." he smiles and shrugs.

Lauaki is viewed as an impact player – a battering ram and tackling weapon designed to inflict maximum damage in a limited period of time. While he admits to enjoying the physical confrontations, he doesn't want to be restricted to a bit-part role.

"I've always rated myself as an 80-minute player – it's frustrating at times getting pulled off you know, it kinda just kills your confidence.

"Being a leader you've just got to lead from the start and try and run till you, I don't know, fall down or something."

"I've found this pre-season quite hard for me because I've just come back from injury. I've been trying to get my foot right and it was frustrating at times.

"It's been good getting the hard work done. I've been working hard on rehab cos I know it helps a lot throughout the year.

"The hardest thing for me I find is getting my body right, rehabbing from injuries. You can't run at 100 per cent which is a kind of a frustrating thing.

"I don't try to play like anyone else though

"One thing I'm really thankful for is having a coach of the Chiefs like Fozzie who allows me to play the style I play.

"He allows me to be myself, to play my rugby and that's something I'm really happy about.

"I can express myself that way, it's quite unique."

It's been a long road for the big city boy.

"I started in '04... I came in, a young guy from Auckland ... I wasn't a big fan of the Chiefs or Waikato rugby – being from Auckland, you know, big town.

"Down here, seeing guys like Jono Gibbes, Marty Holah, David Hill, was just a shock to me. They're just so down-to-earth guys, they kinda took me under my wing. I just learned a lot from them, and to just be yourself."

Now Lauaki has to fill that senior mentor role.

"You don't say it, it's something you do. It's something we pride ourselves on, something that comes from within."

"We like the young guys to express themselves. It's fun-style rugby, we get to express ourselves differently."

Expressing himself off the field still isn't easy for the retiring Tongan-born player – he won't be racing off to post-match interviews, but he wants to take them in his stride as part of his new added duties.

"It is quite new and quite interesting at times," he chuckled.

"It's something I'm just learning and will help me grow as a person too. I'm kinda shy but it's something that I enjoy now.

Lauaki wouldn't be drawn on his future.

"To be honest, all my heart and goals are here with the Chiefs at this moment.

"I'm just planning on having an awesome season with the boys, and whatever comes after that comes.

"One of my main goals this year is winning the championship and it's good that I know I'm not alone on this."

I could sense Lauaki growing more comfortable as we chatted – a quiet yet engaging personality began to emerge.

Then, just as we were concluding, a noise captured our attention from the training field. One of the Chiefs forwards had broken through the defensive line and was sprinting for the tryline, with the more fleet-footed backs in hot pursuit. Behind them, their team-mates hooted and hollered their encouragement and enjoyment.

Lauaki's face lit up and he turned to me.

"That's what I've been talking about.

"We laugh and joke about anything and at the end of the day we know that when it comes to playing we'll go to war for each other.

"I know a lot of teams probably have that same environment but we like to think of ours as a little different.

"No-one's going to growl at you for trying."

- © Fairfax NZ News