The NZ Asian Barbarians are set to make history at the World Schools Sevens and the team is getting a helping hand from a bona fide legend of the sport.
Sir Gordon Tietjens (C) with the NZ Asian Barbarians. Photo: Supplied
The sixth edition of the tournament takes place at Pakuranga rugby club this weekend, with some of the country's best school boy and girl talent on display.
For the first time a NZ Asian Barbarians team has been entered and they've managed to get a sevens great on board, with Sir Gordon Tietjens joining the coaching team.
The competition started in 2016 when Rugby Australia wanted to develop their high school sevens players and asked New Zealand Rugby if they wanted to create an event.
NZR declined with their focus on the Rio Olympics, but World Schools Sevens organiser Phil Gaze heard about the conversation and took matters into his own hands.
"So I rang up the Aussies and said 'I'll organise a game against the New Zealand Schoolboys and Schoolgirls' and they said 'Yep sounds fantastic'.
"Then I reached out to different ethnic communities; I had friends who are Fijian, Samoan and Tongan and they said 'Hey we'd like to enter a team as well' and before you knew it we had ten teams competing in 2016."
And the talent at that inaugural tournament was impressive.
"Hoskins Sotutu a current All Black, Scott Gregory who plays for the Highlanders and New Zealand Sevens, Vilimoni Koroi of the Highlanders and New Zealand Sevens.
"There was also a boy called Meli Derenlagi who played for the NZ Fijian team who went on to not only captain Fiji, but also picked up a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. There was also the current Australian women's sevens captain," Gaze said.
The World Schools Sevens has grown year on year, though Gaze said the 2021 version was pushed back to this weekend by the pandemic.
"Prior to Covid we had 17 teams from around the world. We had Canada, Japan, Fiji, USA, Tonga, Australia, Australian Indigenous as well as our New Zealand based teams. So, pre-Covid, we were heading towards 40 or 50 teams."
Photo: Supplied
With Aotearoa's borders closed, this year's tournament will have 20 teams, including a Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Cook Islands and Fijian side, made up of entirely New Zealand based players.
Gaze said the Warriors rugby league club have entered a team and the very first NZ Asian Barbarians side has been created.
"It's probably a first to have a NZ Asian side actually playing within a New Zealand tournament. From a New Zealand Rugby (NZR) perspective, it may even open up their eyes to go 'wow' there are so many Asian players that are playing in New Zealand and it's time to give them an opportunity."
Gaze said the tournament gives players a chance to represent their country of heritage.
"Kids get to play for their culture and they get to experience their culture. They often go into camp for a week. So, it's an amazing time for them to go back to the roots of their parents or grandparents. It's a pretty special week for a lot of them."
The Asian Barbarians will be able to access a wealth of sevens knowledge from former long time New Zealand coach Tietjens.
"A little bit of history. There's the Samoans have got a team and Tonga and Fiji etc and with this Asian team as well, there's a lot of raw talent there and it does make the tournament really exciting," Tietjens said.
The Asian Barbarians are sponsored by Japanese sports wear company, Samurai Sports. Photo: Supplied
It's also exciting for the players, including 18-year-old Jordi Viljoen of Hastings Boys' High.
"One hundred percent. It's a pretty special moment to get the Asian heritage out there and hopefully we do well in the tournament and get a NZ Asian girls team in the competition next year."
Viljoen isn't Asian, but has been given a chance with the team. He's South African and his Dad Joggie played halfback for the Springboks before relocating to Manawatū with his family when Jordi was two.
The younger Viljoen said meeting Tietjens this week is something he will never forget.
"That was an unreal moment, just seeing him in person. You don't even have to be around him for very long and you just have so much respect for him and you can really see the boys fully focused when he's talking. It's been pretty special to be coached by him."
Viljeon's sentiments are shared by his Asian Barbarians team-mate Max Ogata-Johnston of Christchurch Boys' High, who has Japanese heritage.
"I was pretty nervous to meet him (Tietjens) haha. It was a great honour and I was pretty excited to come up to Auckland. He's been around the block and knows his stuff!"
Ogata-Johnston is also enjoying being around other players with Japanese links, sharing experiences, culture and food.
"I didn't get very much of that in the First XV at Christchurch Boys', but there's a few Japanese boys here (Asian Barbarians) and it's really cool. It's very special being part of this team and I think the Asian Barbarians will just grow from here. It's great being able to represent Japan in a way."
While Viljoen has his sights set on higher honours, he plays the game for a simple and honest reason.
"Everyone who goes hard in sevens would love to play for the All Blacks Sevens or whatever country or culture they're from. That's one of my goals. But, being able to say you're having lots of fun playing footy is probably the main thing."
The tournament starts on Saturday, with the boys and girls finals on Sunday afternoon.
