WILLIS HAS HIS FAMILY TO THANK FOR DISCOVERING THE RIGHT PATH
Wales stardom is a long way from Auckland’s gang culture
FAMILY means everything to Willis Halaholo. It comes as no surprise, then, to hear him repeat the sentiment that the responsibilities of fatherhood saw him pull up the handbrake and reverse away from a road that led nowhere good.
His formative years are now well documented. As a teenager, he roamed the streets of Auckland, having fallen into an alcohol and gang culture that would have almost certainly robbed him of a career in professional sport.
At the age of 18, his first daughter was born – he was out on the town when his partner went into labour – and it took him a few years to get his priorities in order.
But, eventually, it proved to be the wake-up call he needed when, one day, he felt like a stranger to the one person in the world he had a responsibility to nurture.
“I was just involved in a lot of heavy drinking. In my last year of high school I ended up having a daughter,” says the Wales centre, who made his debut against Scotland earlier in the Six Nations.
“I was quite young at that age and it messed with my head a bit and I ended up going down a different path with drinking and getting into a gang culture.
“It was the usual hanging around with the boys on the block. That happened for a couple of years, but I’m just happy I turned things around.
“It was my daughter at the time (who helped him turn things around). When she was only a few months old I didn’t know much about being a father.
“I didn’t know much until she was about two or three and started to talk. Up until then I felt like a stranger to her and it was then I started to change things. I got there just in time.”
He stepped away from his old life and decided to use rugby as the vehicle to get himself back on track.
There were setbacks along the way and he was knocked back by current Wales boss Wayne Pivac, who was in charge of Auckland’s Mitre 10 Cup side at the time and opted not to include Halaholo in his squad.
But he would go on to get himself noticed and won Super Rugby with the Hurricanes – where he formed a close bond with All Black icon Ma’a Nonu – before signing for Cardiff
Blues in 2016.
Since arriving in Wales, two more girls have arrived and the family are settled in Cardiff.
“We’ve really been loving it here in Cardiff. We’ve settled well,” he said.
“Throughout my career I’ve had to move up and down New Zealand because I’ve been playing for different teams.
“Playing for Cardiff Blues has probably been the one team I’ve played for a long period of time.
“We’re really comfortable here and call it home.
“My daughters come home from school saying a few words in Welsh here and there.
“I try to understand what they say to me, but they’re testing me on that!”
In 2019, the hot-stepping centre qualified to play for Wales on residency and was named in Pivac’s first squad to face the Barbarians after the Rugby World Cup.
His selection was met by criticism in some quarters from those who oppose World Rugby’s residency rule and Halaholo revealed that he received racist abuse in the days that followed his selection.
He never arrived in camp, suffering a knee ligament injury after the call-up that would keep him on the sidelines for 11 months.
The Blues centre then hit out at those who had abused him, telling them they had ‘got their wish’.
Looking back, he insists it never deterred him from wanting to represent Wales.
“Not at all,” he says without a moment’s hesitation. “Not one bit. If anything, it drove me more.
“My whole career and my whole life I’ve always been looked down on and I’ve always had to prove myself. It drove me more just to prove them wrong.
“So thanks to those guys for helping me push through my rehab and get here!”
After Halaholo’s debut at Murrayfield, his wife Sandra published a video blog on YouTube, giving a be
CARDIFF City extended their unbeaten run to 11 games under Mick McCarthy, but failed to regain their place in the top six after a scrappy goalless draw at Huddersfield Town.
Chances were at a premium for both sides, although Cardiff were perhaps fortunate to escape with a point after Yaya Sanogo drove a penalty wide 15 minutes from time.
Under the circumstances, it was probably a decent point for the Bluebirds.
Here are the key talking points to emerge from the John Smith’s Stadium.
A GAME TOO FAR?
LET’S be honest, while there were some positive performances, it was a largely incoherent display from Cardiff, particularly in the final third.
Many will point to the absence of first-choice wing-backs Joe Bennett and Perry Ng as a key factor, and admittedly there wasn’t the same sort of attacking spark in the wide positions that we’ve grown accustomed to in the McCarthy era.
That’s not to do down the performances of league debutants Tom Sang and Ciaron Brown, who both showed encouraging signs of what could be yet to come, although it’s difficult to overlook the fact that neither really offered too much in terms of creativity in the final third on Friday night.
Missing two players so crucial to a system that’s galvanised City over the last few weeks was always going to be a blow, but there were perhaps some tired legs elsewhere. Kieffer Moore, for example, is a player that McCarthy is asking a lot of at the moment given his lack of other real quality options up front.
It’s a tough season for everyone, but there’s certainly an argument that the demands of four games in 10 days may well have started to catch up with City.
McCarthy claimed as much himself after Friday night’s stalemate, which incidentally was the first time Cardiff have drawn a blank under the new manager.
He said afterwards: “They’ve had a tough schedule as well I think, but we’ve just been done with the
Wednesday, Saturday and then Tuesday, Friday, in terms of our energy levels.”
On the flipside, Cardiff now have something of a luxury in an eightday break before their next game, and they’ll need their sharpness back against a Watford side gunning for the play-offs themselves.
Hopefully a chance to recharge the batteries will go some way to addressing some of the issues here.
THE HARD WORK STARTS NOW
LOOKING back on it, McCarthy might still view this as a point gained, particularly after seeing his side give away a penalty so late on in the game.
But, let’s be frank, this contest never looked like being the spectacle befitting the occasion of McCarthy’s 1,000th game as a manager, and it would certainly have been nice to celebrate his new two-year contract at the Welsh capital with a win.
The man himself, like many of those watching, won’t dwell on this result. Sometimes you have to just take a point and move on, and it’s important to remember that Cardiff ’s momentum is still moving in the right direction.
The arrival of McCarthy’s new deal will certainly make it easier for him to look at the bigger picture - and address some of the big issues that are likely to crop up this summer, regardless of whether they are successful in their push for promotion to the Premier League.
Just one example is the uncertainty around Bennett’s contract, with his current deal set to expire this summer, which given his obvious importance to this team will surely be a key item on the agenda.
“Me and TC couldn’t have had a better audition could, we? If that didn’t pass us, there would be something wrong. But we’re really thrilled. I’ve had really good support from Vincent, from Mehmet, from Ken.
“I was excited about the job when I was coming down on a three, fourmonth contract and now it’s even better!
“We’ve got a chance to start planning. What players will be here. Who’s out of contract, who’s on loan, can we start planning or looking to sign some players of our own and then just getting our teeth into the job will be great.”
INJURIES ARE A CONCERN, BUT THE NEIL HARRIS PLAYBOOK IS STILL ON THE SHELF
HE may put a brave face on it, but the sight of Joel Bagan coming off with a dislocated shoulder will have been a big blow for the Bluebirds boss, whose wing-back options are seemingly dropping like flies at the moment.
After missing the trip to West Yorkshire with a knock, McCarthy is hopeful that Perry Ng will return for next week’s clash with Watford, which is a comfort.
But with two players now facing lengthy time on the treatment table, it’s the left side that now seems a big concern.
McCarthy was pleased with the