Kei te whakarite a Hikawera Elliot o Ngāti Awa kia eke ki tana tākaro kotahi rau mā te kapa Rangatira hei te Pōhoroi e tū mai nei, ki te tākaro a te kapa Rangatira ki ngā Whatumoana ki Suva, Whītī. Nō te rā nei wehe atu ai a Elliot me te kapa ki Whītī rā anō, ā, ko ngā kare-ā-roto whutupōro Māori hei hoa haere mōna.
Hei tā Elliot, “I didn't think ten years ago when I first started playing Super Rugby that I'd get to this milestone. So to be tracking in that direction is a special achievement.”
Ko te tākaro kotahi rau a Hika Elliot mā te kapa Rangatira kei tāwāhi e tatari ana ki a ia. Koia tāna
e whai nei i te kakari whakataetae ngaio tuatahi rawa ka tū ki Whītī hei te Paraire e tū mai nei. Engari tata rawa tana aukati i tōna momo tākaro e rongonui nei.
“I was contemplating retirement in 2014 and the support that I got from family and friends was really what motivated me to get back on the footy field.”
Āe mārika e kaumātua ana a Elliot i te ao whutupōro Māori. I kitea tuatahitia i te kapa Āwhiowhio i te tau rua mano mā waru.
Nō te tau rua mano tekau ka hunuku ia ki Hamutana mō te kapa Rangatira, ki reira whiwhi atu ai i tōna toanga whakataetae ngaio tuatahi o mohoa noa nei.
“It's a special achievement not only for myself but for my family as well and all the people that have supported me through my career and got me to where I am today.”
Ahakoa ngā pikinga i ōna tau tekau neke atu hei kaitākaro ngaio, i kitea tonutia ko te rama i pito o te pōuri
“2014 I was facing retirement. I was lucky enough to pull through and again, to be closing in on 100 games for the Chiefs is good.”
Ka whakamānawatia a Elliot ki te haka o te kapa Rangatira ki Whītī rā, ā, nō te rā nei puta ai te whakatau i te uepu whutpōro o te motu ka tuku whakamānawa anō hei te hokinga mai i tāwāhi
“A good win on Friday night with where our season is heading and where we need to be at, that'll be a bonus enough for me.”
Ka puta ōkawa mai te aroākapa Rangatira hei āpōpō
