Early setbacks help add fuel to Havili’s fire
It was a quiet moment in his hotel room when David Havili knew he going to be an All Black. Not when he was named on the bench to face Argentina and not when he stood inside Jose Amalfitani Stadium performing the haka alongside his new team-mates.
The moment when it truly sunk in came shortly after the jersey presentation. He took the lift back to his room and sat the jersey down on the hotel bed. He gazed at the black fabric that symbolised his dream for 20 minutes.
‘‘I put the jersey on my bed and I just looked it at. I couldn’t believe I was here in this moment,’’ he said.
‘‘That was my end goal, to be an All Black. I’ve always ever wanted to be one for as long as I could remember.’’
It was his dream even when he struggled to break into the Nelson College First XV, having transferred from Motueka High School.
But he said those early setbacks, being overlooked at Nelson College and then missing the initial New Zealand under-20 squad, only made him stronger.
‘‘It was probably actually good for me,’’ he said. ‘‘It was a bit of a reality check quite early that you’re not going to get it easy. It actually made me work a lot harder and made me take a look at myself and where I needed to be to get where I wanted to be.
‘‘It’s never always going to go your way and there are times when you are going to be disappointed but as long as you keep trucking away and get back out there. What helped me was when I started enjoying the rugby. I wasn’t just playing because I wanted to get somewhere, I just wanted to enjoy playing with my mates.’’
Even if his selection was warranted after a breakout season with the Super Rugby champions, Havili admitted it was a little strange to be playing for the All Blacks less than five years after he was not deemed good enough to play for his First XV.
‘‘At the start of the year I never thought that I would be here but I’m just fortunate that I’ve been able to get the opportunity against Argentina and in those last two games because it’s something I have always dreamed of and I’m pretty proud to get that All Blacks jersey this year.’’
Havili has been fortunate to learn from one of New Zealand’s best ever fullbacks, Leon MacDonald, at the Tasman Makos and Crusaders. He said MacDonald had been one of the biggest influences on his career.
‘‘He’s been massive for me,’’ the 22-year-old said.
‘‘Especially when I first came into Tasman. He’s really backed me and trusts me. A lot of the rugby IQ stuff he’s really good at and he’s really helped me with the fullback positioning side of things and all the crucial little things a fullback needs.’’
Havili also revealed that Crusaders team-mate Israel Dagg, who is recovering from a seasonending knee injury, has been a major influence on his career too, particularly during the stages where he was sidelined during the Super Rugby season.
‘‘He was amazing for me. He helped me through all the fullback side of the game. It’s quite different at the back and he was a big part for me as well,’’ he said, now keen to specialise in the No 15 role.
‘‘I’m definitely enjoying it back there and it’s where I played most of my rugby this year. If I can stick at the 15 jersey ... it’s going pretty good me for at the moment.’’
When Havili returned home to Motueka, near Nelson, after making his debut for the All Blacks, he got some friends together and went whitebaiting along the Motueka River. It was a chance to reflect. ‘‘It was good to sit down there and have a yarn. It’s what we used to do when we were back at school and it’s good to get out there, get away from it all for a wee bit. We got a feed, which was awesome.
‘‘Being a small town it’s definitely not as fast as the big city life so it’s good to come home and chill out around family and see my mates who are back over here in Motueka. I still do the hard work with training and go to the gym and what not but it’s good to just chill out.’’
Havili wanted to make the most of the short break, with the All Blacks departing for the end of year tour yesterday.
‘‘It’s going to be a long six weeks but I’m really looking forward to my first end of year tour and it’s going to be awesome to play on the grounds in Wales and Scotland.
‘‘I’m just looking forward to playing some good rugby and just enjoying the trip with the lads, so the fish are just going to have to wait for a couple of weeks.’’