Mudu set to break Coast record
Fijian schoolboy Maleli Mudu arrived on West Coast in 2003 to bolster the ranks of their combined team in the Crusaders Schools Championship.
Fast forward 14 years and the diminutive winger looks set to break West Coast’s provincial appearance record.
Mudu sits on 88 caps, just two behind the Ken Beams and Michael Foster, who both notched up 90 games playing at first five.
Beams, a legendary first five on the Coast, is also in danger of losing his West Coast try scoring record of 27 to hooker Rowan O’Gorman. O’Gorman has a great strike rate having notched up 26 tries in 48 appearances.
The pair, along with flanker Brad Tauwhare, make up part of the modern fabric of West Coast’s survival and why it remains alive in the Heartland Championship.
The 32-year-old Mudu only stands 1.67m and tips the scales at 73kg but he makes up for it with speed and footwork, having dotted down 22 times for the province.
He admits he knew little about the West Coast before arriving from Fiji but has grown to adore it and the provincial rugby team.
‘‘I really love it, the people are are so good to me.’’
Mudu said breaking the record would be a special moment despite making most of his appearances off the bench this season.
‘‘It is a thank you to all the people who have supported me.’’
When he arrived Mudu could run the 100m in just over 11 seconds so certainly caught the eye. ‘‘I am nowhere near that now but I use my experience.’’
Mudu has also settled down on the Coast and doesn’t see himself moving away. Employed at local meat works, Mudu is married to Nicole and has a 3-year-old son Peniasi. ‘‘It is a good life here, I enjoy it very much.’’
West Coast coach Sean Cuttance said you could not meet a player more passionate about West Coast rugby than Mudu.
‘‘He scored a brilliant individual try against Buller a couple of weeks ago and the first thing he does is grab the crest on his jersey.’’
Cuttance said Mudu was also a great guy to have around the team. ‘‘He’s hilarious, always smiling and laughing.’’
Mudu plays his club rugby for Marist and stalwart Mark Costello also said he was a fantastic guy.
‘‘He’s salt of the earth, a typical humble Fijian, but Maleli can light up a game. Our rugby commentator calls him the ‘slippery eel’.’’
Costello said the only thing Mudu didn’t like about the West Coast was the cold and rain.
‘‘He arrived in the wrong place as far as that goes. A couple of years ago West Coast was playing East Coast and it was pouring with rain. ‘‘With five minutes to go the coach wanted him to go on and he just shook his head and crowd burst into laughter.’’
Costello said while he was only a small guy he was certainly tough. ‘‘He gives it everything.’’
Mudu is not the only one giving his all in red and white. Flanker Brad Tauwhare flies down from Auckland each week, as he did for his club rugby side Kiwi during the season, to play with his younger brother Troy.
Cuttance said when he sounded Tauwhare out whether he was keen to play representative rugby, the loose forward did keep a secret.
‘‘Brad told me he was 34, actually he was 38. He’s a great story though, he played his last game for West Coast 17 years ago and is back.’’
Tauwhare said he just loved playing rugby on the Coast, where his family was from.
‘‘Last time I played for the Coast (in 2000) Troy was the ball boy, so it was great to be there when he played his 50th game for the West Coast.’’
The try scoring O’Gorman started playing for the Coast in 2009 but also took a couple of seasons off. Back in ‘red and white’ O’Gorman is loving it.
‘‘It’s always enjoyable playing for West Coast.’’
As for what makes it special the hooker said it was simple. ‘‘They are good guys, and I have some good mates.’’