Hurricanes rally to support former player
AHurricanes player from their inaugural year is facing the fight of his life, buoyed by an ‘‘overwhelming’’ $15,000 fundraising effort from some of rugby’s biggest names.
Sam Doyle, a gifted fullback for Manawatu, Wellington and New Zealand Maori (against the 1993 British and Irish Lions), played two Super Rugby matches for the Hurricanes in 1996 for an injured Christian Cullen.
In early May, during level three Covid-19 lockdown, 50-yearold Doyle and wife Tracey received the diagnosis at Palmerston North Hospital of acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood.
Almost immediately the Hurricanes’ Alumni – formed in 2016 by former Hurricanes lock Mike Russell – swung into action.
Based in Otaki, 70km north of Wellington, the Doyles and their four daughters Kara, 23, Kotuku, 22, Wiki, 16, and Raukawa, 12, were gifted six weeks of meals from Let’s Cook.
Then a virtual fundraising evening via Zoom last Monday, the night after the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby Aotearoa opener against the Blues, raised $15,435 for the Doyle whanau for hotel accommodation, while Sam undergoes treatment in Palmerston North and Wellington.
He just completed his second round of chemotherapy and is awaiting a stem cell donation from Germany. Depending on how long that takes, Doyle may begin a third round soon.
Guests at the virtual fundraiser included former All Blacks Ian Kirkpatrick, Josh Kronfeld, Frank Bunce and Chris Jack, along with champion jockey Noelharris. Former Hurricanes coach John Plumtree and current co-captain TJ Perenara also spoke, while stars such as Ma’a Nonu and Dane Coles were among those to purchase items including Jon Preston’s 1999 jersey.
‘‘It was overwhelming. When we saw the panel . . . the whole experience was just amazing,’’ Tracey Doyle said. ‘‘I just can’t thank them enough, Mike Russell and the Hurricanes as a whole, for their support.’’ wife of Sam
Russell – Hurricane No 23 – formed the alumni to help the transition from professional rugby to ‘‘a productive life after rugby’’, and to assist some undergoing tough times.
‘‘This is one of the reasonswe set it up,’’ Russell said. ‘‘And it’s great to have the current team behind it too, they were really welcoming and inviting on the night.’’
Doyle is Hurricane No 11, and the latest is halfback Jonathan Taumateine, No 273. Former management, board members and CEOS are also part of the alumni, the first of its kind in New Zealand Super Rugby.
Tracey Doyle, a theatre nurse in Palmerston North, says her husband is ‘‘doing really well’’ and doctors believe his relatively young age and physical fitness is a big plus.
Doyle was still playing for his Rahui club as recently as 2011, and coached their senior team last year. He still offered backline coaching via phone from his bed in recent weeks.
‘‘We’re pretty confident going through it, but because we know of the things that can happen it is a scary process that we’re not really looking forward to. But we will keep going,’’ Tracey Doyle said.
The hardest part initially was receiving the diagnosis during [alert] level three and having to tell their daughters by phone. When the whanau eventually got together, everyone had to wear gowns and masks in the hospital.
‘‘That was at the forefront of mine and Sam’s thinking after his diagnosis; our girls and how to get them through this. It’s a long journey that will take months and months.
‘‘The Hurricanes and our community in Otaki have cloaked our girls in a huge amount of support which has just been great.’’
Tracey Doyle