Koroi excited about testing himself against the best
THIS Friday will be an upgrade on Saturday.
But both days will go down as pretty memorable for Joketani Koroi.
The 25yearold Harbour forward was in Alexandra with the Otago team when his club fought its way to an epic 3030 draw with University in the premier final at Forsyth Barr Stadium at the weekend.
The Otago team had split into two camps. The University boys watched the livestream from one room while Koroi and the Harbour crew watched from another.
After 100 minutes of rugby, both groups emerged slightly bemused.
Koroi found it ‘‘hard to watch’’. He had been a linchpin in the pack and would have liked to have played in the final.
‘‘It felt good that we did our bit to help them get to the final,’’ Koroi said.
‘‘We didn’t win but we’ll take the shared result. It was good to see the boys guts it out.’’
Koroi might have missed out on playing in the final but he has an even bigger opportunity ahead.
Otago will play Canterbury and the All Blacks in the ‘Game of Three Halves’’ in Christchurch.
For Koroi, it will be reunion of sorts as well. He will be up against his old school friend, All Black loose forward Ardie Savea. The pair played for the Rongotai College First XV together.
‘‘He was head boy at Rongotai College and I’ve played a lot of footy with the Wellington boys. I played agegroup rugby with Vaea Fifita as well, so it will be good to see them again.’’
Fifita was yesterday overlooked for the squad as Highlanders Jackson Hemopo and Shannon Frizell were preferred instead. That reunion will have to be put on hold.
Koroi, who is from Fiji, moved to New Zealand with his family when he was 4.
He grew up in Wellington and honed his rugby skills at Tawa College initially before switching to Rongotai College.
The loose forward moved south to Dunedin last season and joined cousin Giorgio Bower at the Hawks.
‘‘It was just a new opportunity with a new province,’’ he said.
‘‘I needed some fresh energy and I wanted to come down and try something new.’’
It has been an inspired move. He quickly put his robust frame to good use with some impressive performances.
His ability to break tackles and smash the ball up around the ruck made him a crowd favourite at Watson Park.
Koroi has slotted in at lock an awful lot for Harbour and that versatility caught the attention of selectors. He came on as a replacement for Otago twice last season.
This year he has been contracted and cannot wait for Friday.
‘‘I’m excited to test myself against the best and learn everything I can.’’