Mavoa grabs Bond chance
A PERIOD of indecision by talented 18-year-old Tipene Mavoa has played perfectly into Bond University’s hands.
The flanker is set to play his first Queensland Premier Rugby game for Bond against Norths from the bench this afternoon, having taken an unusual path to the Robina club.
Mavoa has come through the Queensland Reds system and was offered an opportunity to join their under-20s squad this year for their premiership defence.
The Auckland-born footballer had other ideas, turning down that offer to try his hand at rugby league.
Mavoa contacted Gold Coast Titans under-20s coach Ben Woolf about how he could force his way into their 2017 side. His older brother Daniel Donovan had previously represented the Titans at under-20s level.
“I just really wanted to try out Titans and see what happened,” he said.
“I asked (Woolf) what I could do to get into the Titans 20s and he pretty much put me in Tweed 20s to start. I just worked my butt off to show that I really wanted it.”
He earnt a call-up into Woolf’s squad as a prop – until yet another twist in the tale.
“I had a couple of trial games with them but in the back of my mind I just kept asking myself if I was really 100 per cent in it because I really was in love with union,” Mavoa said. “That’s what my school (The Southport School) brought to me.”
So, late in the pre-season, he linked up with Bond, where he knew forwards coach Grant Anderson through his time at TSS, and wasted no time making an impression during trials.
Mavoa is desperate to repay the faith of Bond head coach Sean Hedger.
“I’m pretty much going into each game and each training just learning as much as I can and soak it all up,” he said.
“Whatever opportunities Hedge gives to me I will take it with both hands.”
Norths finished eighth last year and claimed the wooden spoon the season before but are shaping up as a threat.
“They’ve done a lot of recruiting in the off-season,” Hedger said, citing Tyrone Lefau, AJ Campbell and Tonga Ma’afu as examples.
Bond captain Sam Clifton said it will be crucial to match Norths’ physicality when they take the field at Hugh Courtney Oval today.
AUSTRALIAN women’s rugby sevens players Charlotte Caslick, Shannon Parry and Dominique Du Toit were on the Gold Coast last night to gather support for Bond University’s team.
Bond will be one of eight sides competing in the newly formed women’s National University Sevens Series.
The series will involve four tournaments – the first of which will begin in August – with national players to be divided up between the teams.