Makalio gets first shot at Lions
Andrew Makalio won’t be holding out the welcome mat when the British and Irish Lions arrive in New Zealand on Wednesday.
Though a gameplan for Saturday’s tour opener won’t be discussed with the players until later in the week, the Provincial Barbarians hooker said he expected the message to be somewhere along the lines of giving the visitors a little tickle up.
The 25-year-old hooker is looking forward to the unique opportunity of playing against the Lions after being named in the Barbarians squad. The Crusader said the occasion is a good chance to make a name for himself, which is something he’s been doing plenty of lately.
Makalio’s selection caps off a memorable 12 months for a player who was only playing club rugby this time last year. With his path to the Mitre 10 Cup blocked in Auckland, he decided to move to Blenheim with the hope of earning a contract with the Tasman Makos.
There were no guarantees that a contract would come his way but after some barnstorming performances for Marlborough club side Harlequins, it didn’t take long for a formal offer to materialise. The next step was forcing his way into Tasman’s starting lineup, which he did, and next thing the Crusaders came calling and offered him a spot in their Super Rugby squad.
‘‘It went pretty quick,’’ he said, looking back on the past year.
‘‘It’s been pretty surprising. I wasn’t sure how my 12 months would go or where I would be at the moment but I just have to keep learning and make my job easier by knowing my roles.’’
Makalio has featured four times off the bench for the competition leading Crusaders and said it’s easy to learn in a team full of All Blacks.
‘‘It’s going real well. All the AB boys and those guys with all the experience are helping the young players like myself.’’
Makalio is still pushing for his first start with the unbeaten Crusaders but his more immediate focus is getting to know his new Barbarians team-mates and preparing for the Lions.
‘‘It is a big step up to test match level but it’ll be a good opportunity for me, especially coming from Super,’’ he said ahead of Saturday’s game in Whangarei.
‘‘At the moment the culture is building slowly, getting to where we need to be.’’