Hemopo has made the most of chances
EVERY player needs it. But then again every player has to take it.
Jackson Hemopo has grabbed it when it has come along. And he has a lot to thank Tom Franklin for.
You could call it luck or making the most of the slightest opportunity.
Even the butterfly effect — when the smallest decision has the most massive consequence down the line.
Hemopo first came to Otago in 2012, fresh from Palmerston North Boys’ High School, where he had been something of a schoolboy star.
Starting a building apprenticeship in Dunedin, Hemopo was in the background for Otago that year, as he trained with the academy.
But with Justin Ives breaking his cheekbone and Tom Franklin blowing his hamstring in a game against Auckland, Hemopo, who was not yet 19, started for Otago in the Championship semifinal against Tasman.
He made the most of it — scoring a try in the opening minutes and getting around the field. He played in the final for Otago the following week, a loss to CountiesManukau.
Hemopo was named in the New Zealand Colts the next year but a foot injury ruined his year and he played for neither the Colts nor Otago.
He continued to battle away for his Green Island club and they were tough years.
Green Island was bottom of the table and the wins were few and far between.
Hemopo made the switch to Southern in 2014 but lasted only one year before heading back to Miller Park.
He made his debut for the Highlanders in 2015, coming off the bench in an easy win over the
Blues at Eden Park.
The following year he did not play a game for the Highlanders, although he was joint club player of the year, before moving back to Manawatu.
But the one lucky break landed his way last year.
It seemed inconsequential at the time but Franklin, who was playing well for the Highlanders, chucked his lot in with the Maori All Blacks for the match against the British and Irish Lions.
Fair enough, that was a decent decision by Franklin.
There was real prestige playing for the Maori. But it left the door open for Hemopo.
He made his starting debut for the Highlanders that memorable night against the Lions and was part of a forward pack which matched up against the Lions nd won the game.
Franklin, on the other hand, was part of a Maori side which had a stinker.
From there, Hemopo was on his way. On the back of his Lions game, he started the next two games of the season and was solid at lock in both.
This year, of the 17 games the Highlanders played, Hemopo played in 16 of them.
He was all energy and vigour and his abilities were noticed by those that mattered as he won an All Black callup, playing the last 10 minutes against France at Forsyth Barr Stadium in June.
Now, he gets his start for the All Blacks and, although it is a weakened All Black side, he will be expected to display all of his wares.
He gets another chance.
And going on what has happened before, he will take every last bit of that opportunity.
WELLINGTON: Hawkes Bay and Highlanders hooker Ash Dixon will captain the Maori All Blacks alongside 10 new caps in their opening tour match against the United States in Chicago tomorrow.
The locking combination of Isaia WalkerLeawere and Pari Pari Parkinson, wingers Jonah Lowe and Regan Ware and loose forward Mitch Karpik will make their debuts and have been included in the starting XV.
‘‘Izzy [WalkerLeawere] and Pari Pari come off the back of some great Mitre 10 Cup campaigns. They’re extremely big rigs, 270odd kilos between then; a lot of raw meat, real power, and if they put that to good use I’m sure the team will benefit from it,’’ coach Clayton McMillan said.
Experience comes in the form of established midfielders Teihorangi Walden and Rob Thompson and the front row of Dixon, Chris Eves and Ben May.
Robbie Abel, Hoani Matenga,
Billy Harmon, Josh Ioane and Matty Lansdown are all in line for debuts from the bench.
McMillan said the team had been enjoying its preparation in Chicago but there were challenges.
‘‘Chicago has been great to us. It’s a fantastic city and the weather has been kind to us. The boys who joined us over the weekend, have got into the books and got up to speed quickly and are good to go.
‘‘Some of the guys are a little bit banged up — 100 minutes of rugby in the Mitre 10 Cup final has taken its toll but we’re man
aging the boys’ loads pretty closely as we don’t want to overcook them.
‘‘Regan’s opportunity comes
unfortunately through an injury to Caleb Makene who was injured in the final.
‘‘Regan trained with us at our
camp in Tauranga and made a really good impression and fortunately, the All Blacks Sevens accommodated our request to have him released.’’
McMillan said he was expecting their opposition to be physically demanding.
‘‘They’ll be what we expect from a lot of American athletes — big, strong, a direct style of rugby, a lot of mauling — a very physical encounter.
‘‘We’re prepared to match fire with fire but want to be smart and use a bit of width as well. We need to respect the fact that the Eagles have some power up front,’’ he said.
‘‘They have tall timber and we need to ensure we get our share of quality ball to give our backs the opportunity to play and to have a mindset of spreading the ball and doing justice to the Maori jersey and playing a brand of rugby that is synonymous with Maori rugby — and that is about showing a lot of flair and confidence, in a free spirited nature.’’
The Maori All Blacks will next head to Sao Paulo to play Brazil and then to Chile.