Ezra Iupeli has not played a game of rugby for 24 years but the Petone club stalwart has never been more involved with the sport he loves.
The Scots College alumni spent two and a bit years in the first fifteen before joining the Petone club in Lower Hutt, while he studied towards a degree in graphic design.
But one fateful Saturday morning in 1997 everything changed.
Ezra Iupeli's life changed during a club rugby match for Petone when he was 20. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Vinnie Wylie
Ezra and his friend Joe Collins were meant to be playing for the Hutt Valley Samoans later that day but when they got in the car to drive to Wellington it wouldn't start.
"Our colts team were playing in a Coca Cola colts tournament at that time and they were playing down the road at Fraser Park from Joe's place, so we thought we'll get a run there. So we wandered down the road, took our gear and we managed to get a run with the colts team," he recalled.
"About 15 minutes into the game, I literally just took the ball into contact and I sort of fell one way and the defender sort of fell backwards and took my ring finger with them...I sort of spotted a bit of blood on the other hand that I turned it around and realised that I had lacerated my ring finger about a 180 degree laceration."
Iupeli was three quarters of the way through a degree in graphic design when he suffered the injury, and said it led him to rethink what he actually wanted to do for a living.
Ezra Iupeli with Petone and Hurricanes midfielder Vince Aso after a recent Premier club game. Photo: Supplied
"I was sort of getting a bit wayward with my studies at the time anyway, so I only sort of finished that year off and got into the workforce and headed to the Intercontinental (Hotel) and got into hospitality.
"That sort of I guess led to where I am now with them a role in concierge and hospo, which obviously meant I moved through to New Zealand Rugby, and the rest is history, as they say."
The former tight-head prop has not played a game of rugby since that afternoon at Avalon Park 24 years ago but remains heavily involved with the Petone club, where he's been a Premier Team Manager for the past decade.
"Everything happens for a reason and I'm where I'm meant to be, I believe," he said.
With the rugby, I had to give away a game that I was really passionate about playing but to think that 20 odd years later I'm actually working in the game for our national body but also really love what I'm doing at the grassroots and in the community game, with my home club where I grew up. I never would have thought I'd be where I am but I'm really blessed to be here."
Iupeli's path to working for New Zealand Rugby was not exactly conventional.
A family holiday in Thailand sparked an interest in the hospitality industry, after he admired the staff working at what he remembers as a "seven-star hotel".
On his return he found the fanciest hotel in Wellington, walked in and asked for a job.
"I started as a porter then moved into concierge and managed that desk for about six odd years. Then they created a role for a concierge in New Zealand Rugby and I didn't sort of really understand what that kind of role entailed from a New Zealand Rugby perspective, but after a meeting there, and I guess I found out what that role was made up of, I thought I didn't really need to think twice and there I was. I did that for about six odd years and now in a different role there with the organisation."
A passion for serving the community was instilled in him by his parents, Ezra explained.
His dad, Rev Senetenari Iupeli was born in Samoa, with parents hailing from Falealili and Vaie'e, while his mum, Rosettastone Iupeli, was born in Auckland to Samoan-born parents from Matāutu, Falelatai, Tufuiopa and Apia.
"I grew up in the church and my father is a minister of religion, so he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in the 70s. I was born into a Minister's family and we've only ever known the church.
"On the weekends growing up that was what we did: we had Sunday school and I looked after the youth group and the choir and the senior youth group and that sort of pastoral care, that tutelage, that leadership, I guess was harnessed and developed and managed through there."
Ezra Iupeli remains heavily involved with rugby at a national and grassroots level. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Vinnie Wylie
Iupeli has been able to put his love of service into practice at New Zealand Rugby, where he's now a National Teams Administrator, working with representative sides including the Māori All Blacks, New Zealand Under 20s and New Zealand Schools.
"Rugby being a sport that I love and I'm passionate about you're able to kind of do both and a lot of things sort of integrate. Then obviously now working with New Zealand Rugby I get to work with some of our national teams and some of I guess the elite coming through, you know that sort of NZ Schools and NZ 20s space, so to be able to use the skills that I was kind of raised with through church and through rugby I'm where I want to be and I'm meant to be, and I'm really, really grateful for that."
Iupeli has a reputation for taking young Pasifika players under his wing, both in his role at NZR and with the Petone Rugby Club.
Having experienced an injury which altered his path in life, the proud Samoan is well aware things don't always go to plan.
"I've been lucky to see some amazing talent and kids come through, and I use the likes of Asafo (Aumua) and Jordie (Barrett) and Hoskins (Sotutu) that had a year in the Under 20s and all of a sudden they're a fully fledged All Black 12 months later.
All Blacks loose forward Hoskins Sotutu on debut in the first Bledisloe Cup test match of 2020. Photo: Photosport
"Other players obviously take three or four years, through what previously was the Mitre 10 Cup obviously move through to that next tier, but it's one of those things that's a balance, and hopefully these kids have got something to fall back on if it doesn't work out."
In February of last year, when the world was coming to terms with a virus called Covid-19, Ezra Iupeli was dealing with a sudden health challenge of his own.
A blister on his right foot became infected, which spread through his leg and into the bone, and deteriorated to the point where he had to have his leg amputated.
"I guess I have to mention diabetes as well, because that played a part in it as well. My parents have been diabetic for a number of years and, although I was getting checks as regularly as possible - I was cleared of it - unfortunately it obviously sprung on me and compounded the infection that I had, so it meant a lower limb amputation below my calf."
The shock of losing a limb sent the normally upbeat Iupeli to a dark place.
"Up until then I'd sort of been really satisfied and happy with what I'd achieved and to be honest it almost broke me," he admitted.
"It was a lot of reflection, a lot of, I guess, remembering my faith and my why. When I was lying there in hospital and understood there's are a lot of people that are a lot worse off and I've just got to understand that things will come right slowly and things are obviously a lot more measured now.
Ezra Iupeli works with 15-a-side teams including the Māori All Blacks and New Zealand Schools team. Photo: Supplied
"I think I look at it and think yeah it's disabled me somewhat, but the main disability is really my attitude towards it. So as long as I'm on top of that I think I'll be alright, and so far so good."
After years of service to his community, Iupeli was overwhelmed to receive that same love and care back from his friends and family and the rugby community.
Even if it did take him a bit of time to adjust.
"There's a part is a part of me obviously growing up where if things didn't get done I was just happy to do them, get them done, and I never really wanted to rely on others to sort of get things done around me whether it be whatever I was involved in," he confessed.
"So when it's in your time of need I really struggled with that sort of attention and people reaching out to help because I struggled with that, but my family were huge for me and obviously New Zealand Rugby as well. Honestly words couldn't really express just my gratitude towards them and really, really lucky with the way that they looked after me and got me back on my feet, so to speak, excuse the pun."
Now, with an artificial leg in place and a renewed appreciation for what he does have in life, Ezra Iupeli is gearing up for a busy few months of logistics and planning, with the Māori All Blacks taking on Manu Samoa in July and a new New Zealand Under 20s squad recently announced.
But whether his office for the day is at Eden Park, Forsyth Barr Stadium or the Number 1 field at the Petone Recreation Ground, his motivation remains the same.
"What drives me is obviously looking after my family: my parents especially and my siblings. Those loved ones for me, that's what really I guess is, is my why," he said.
"...and I'm in a role where I know there's number of people that would love to be doing that so, for me, you just can't be complacent and just sort of enjoy it because you never know. Covid taught us last year that things can be taken away from you pretty quick so enjoy it while you can."
