For a lot of promising young players in New Zealand, their first rugby experience on foreign soil would usually come through a school or age grade rep team. Very few find themselves thrust onto one of the world’s most famous fields to play alongside legends of the game.
However, that is exactly the situation Wellingtonian Ahtun Masun will find himself in come December 3, when he runs out onto Twickenham as part of the Southern Hemisphere team in the Heroes Rugby Challenge.
The Heroes Rugby Challenge is a charity match held to raise funds for Help for Heroes, an organisation that supports British servicemen and women wounded in armed conflicts since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The charity has raised over £105 million since its founding in October 2007.
The inaugural Heroes Rugby Challenge in 2008 attracted 52,000 spectators (including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall), and generated £1.46 million for the charity. The teams are made up of a mixture of current and former internationals, other professionals, academy players, and servicemen.
Being an IRANZ graduate, Masun has been invited to join the Southern Hemisphere team as an academy player. He will join the likes of World Cup-winning All Black Adam Thompson, former All Blacks Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens, past Wallabies Phil Waugh and Joe Roff, and Tongan prop Sona Taumalolo. They’ll line up against a Northern Hemisphere squad which includes former internationals Serge Betsen (France), Danny Grewcock (England), Will Greenwood (England), and Malcolm O’Kelly (Ireland).
Masun says the opportunity came out of left field, when he received a phone call from one of his club coaches saying that IRANZ Managing Director Murray Mexted wanted him to take part in the game.
“[He asked] if I was up for it, and I definitely was.” “It definitely [makes me] nervous, because I’ve never played in such a big stadium and also in front of a big crowd, but I’m looking forward to playing against former international players at such a high level,” says Masun.
Masun, a 22-year-old of Samoan-Chinese descent, plays primarily in the midfield, but has been working on his outside back play to boost his utility potential.
“I like being a utility, but I enjoy playing centre the most I guess, just because it tests my running and tackling ability.”
As a kid, Masun started off playing league before a friend’s dad convinced him to come over to union. It didn’t take a lot of convincing.
“One of my friend’s from intermediate, his dad was coaching the College under 11s team. He told me to come along and sign up and that he would give me a ride to all of the games on Saturdays, and ever since then, I’ve been playing rugby.
A strong ball-runner who also prides himself on his defence, Masun looks up to Tana Umaga and Ma’a Nonu as his rugby inspirations.
“Their game style, I try to apply to mine. [They have] the ability to create something out of nothing, and the line-breaking ability I strive for. Tana’s also great on defence and is always consistent in his game. They’re also great role models.” “I’m a free player, I guess, because I’m all over the show. I like crashing the ball, but I also like to beat the player without using my strength, but using my skills,” says Masun when asked to describe his game.
Unlike so many up and coming players, Masun isn’t a product of the schools system. He left Wellington College before he had the chance to play for the first XV. He had moved out of the family home and saw the need to work full time.
He was a late addition to IRANZ’s June 2010 High Performance Players Course, after his Western Suburbs Club came calling with an offer to send him along.
“My club rang me up three days before I had to be there. It just popped out of nowhere... I was happy because I saw it as a good chance for me,” says Masun.
There he trained and played at centre, as well as the more unfamiliar fullback position. Having only played a couple of games at fullback prior, Masun says he enjoyed and appreciated the chance to learn a new position and add to his game.
He received position specific coaching from former All Black outside back Jeff Wilson. In his assessment of Masun, Wilson praised his strength in the collision, strong fend, speed, acceleration, and decision making in the midfield. He concluded his assessment by writing, “With some discipline and hard work Ahtun can become a professional player."
During the course, he showed a notable work ethic, and, after a quiet start, became a vocal, confident, and well respected member of the team.
Masun says he took so much away from IRANZ, particularly around the important off-field aspects of being a top player, which were new to him.
“I learnt key things like nutrition, how to eat well, and really how important it is to look after your body after playing and training.”
“The coaches were really kind, but most of all really helpful. I felt like they wanted to help me improve my game.”
He credits IRANZ for expanding his skill set and encouraging him to further develop his game, particularly his kicking.
“I’m learning how to kick, so I’m adding that into my game. I’m learning to be [an all-round player] instead of being a one dimension player and just crashing balls.”
Masun had an impressive 2010 season, which saw him be named Western Suburb Premiers’ top back, as well as take out the Western Trophy, the top prize for the club’s players. On top of that, he earned his first representative honours, being selected in the Wellington Development team.
This year, Masun took another step forward by making the Hurricanes Development team for the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup in March. There he played alongside side current Hurricanes such as Beauden Barrett, Richard Buckman, and Brad Shields. He came off the bench in the wins over Tonga A and Fiji A.
“It was good. It was a step up in pace,” he says.
And so his next step up will be the Heroes Rugby Challenge. The goal of the event is to pack out Twickenham and raise over £1 million for Help for Heroes. Part of the funds will go to the Help for Heroes Tedworth House facility, a state of the art recovery centre for British troops. While there, wounded and sick troops are given the skills, education, and work experience to return to the armed forces or to civilian life. Help for Heroes also intends to make payments to service charities in New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia.
This year’s match has a far more international flavour to it compared to the 2008 edition. That game saw a Help for Heroes XV made up of English players take on an International Select XV largely made up of players from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This year’s Northern Hemisphere vs Southern Hemisphere format will see players brought together from Britain, Ireland, France, Georgia, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Tonga, with more players still to be announced.
England World Cup winners Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Leonard will team up with Welsh legend Ieuan Evans as managers of the North Hemisphere squad. The side will be coached by former English number 8 and Gloucester coach Dean Ryan and John Kirwan, who despite being a former All Black and coach of Japan, has Northern ties due to formally coaching Italy.
The Southern Hemisphere team is also managed by a pair of World Cup winners in the form of Michael Lynagh and Sean Fitzpatrick. Wayne Smith, who helped guide the All Blacks to the 2011 World Championship, will be joined by former South Africa and Italy coach Nick Mallett in the coaching box.
The day before he flies out, Masun isn’t quite sure what’s in store for him once he gets to England.
“I have no idea what’s going on,” he says with a laugh. “I’m just jumping on the plane and arriving there and following what they have planned for us.”
What he does know is that he is treating the match as a chance to gain some exposure and as another step towards his dream of playing professionally.
“I definitely hope this leads to bigger and better things for me. It’s really good exposure. I’m just really thankful for the opportunity.”
Being Wellington born and bred, playing for the Lions has always been a goal for Masun, but becoming a new father has given him extra drive to pursue any professional opportunities that may be available.
“Playing for Wellington has always been my dream, but I’m open to any opportunity that comes my way as I now have a three month old daughter, and I just want the best for her.” “My short-term goal is to get fitter, bigger, and faster, and pick up a contract sometime soon. My long term goal would be represent my country,” he says.
He’s also passionate about helping younger players make the most of talent, and spends his free time as a leader of his church’s youth group.
“[I want to] help young boys who have rugby talent use what they have and not get lost in the street life around them, just coming from experience... I just like working with kids.”
Ahtun Masun’s rugby story isn’t one of a player rising through age grades. It’s not the story of schoolboy star knocking on the door from a young age. It’s more about a player who has made the most of the (sometimes unexpected) opportunities that have come his way. Given his track record, expect Masun to make the most of his Twickenham appearance. Keep an eye out for him in the future.
For more information about the Heroes Rugby Challenge, including team lists, check out heroesrugby.org.uk.
By Jeremy Bryson