Kei te manako a Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, kaitākaro mā te Kapa Opango Māori, mā te hūnuku ki te kapa Chiefs ka tākaro ia ngā kēmu mō tēnei tau. He tauria te uri nō Ngāti Pikao ki te kapa Hurricanes, ā, hono atu ia ki tētahi kaiārahi o-mua.
Kei tōna kāinga a Rotorua e whakangungu ana, kua tino ū a Tahuriorangi ki te kaupapa, ā kua rite ia mo te pakanga.
“I just wanted to come here and establish myself being number one, but also compete in a healthy environment with Brad Weber and Johnathan Tamateine who I see as great competitors,” nā Tahuriorangi (Ngāti Pikiao).
He kanohi kitea ki te kapa Chiefs mo te Poutoko nei no Ngāti Pikiao. Ko te kaiako hou a Colin Cooper te kaiako i te wa i tākaro a Tahuriorangi mo te kapa Opango Māori, Taranaki anō hoki.
“I guess working under for the last three years at Taranaki, it's helped me recognise that it's more than rugby to him, the connection, [and] the whanaungatanga, that's what matters to him.”
Ko te hokinga mai o tōna whānau ki te kainga tētahi atu o ngā hua māna.
“I've got a little one Thomas who is four years old and he's pretty much grown up down Wellington and Taranaki. So that was another great opportunity for my little boy to come back and to re-connect with my family.”
Nā te kaitakaro mo te kapa ōpango a TJ Perenara ia i poipoi i roto i ngā tau e rua ki muri. Inaianei ka taea e ia te whakatikatika i ōna hapa.
“For me, it's just the little things. So what I mean by that is (the) connection with your (Number) 8's. Something I've kind of had all my life is speed. I want to try to keep game-orientated so I can get to the rucks quick.”
Ko te whainga kia rata atu ngā kaiako ki a Tahuriorangi ki te tukinga a ngā Chiefs me ngā Blues ki Te Kuiti.
