Tipene Reweti will join a contingent of 96 players, heading to Newcastle, Australia for the 2020 Youth Trans Tasman series in January.

From the young age of 12, Reweti started playing touch at Whanganui Intermediate School, where is passion for sports, being active and learning new skills alongside his mates began. 

Reweti is no stranger to sporting achievements. Earlier this year he competed at the Upper Central Zone North Island Rugby League Tournament, winning the Under 17 grade with the Manawatu Mustangs. He was also named best No 7 (halfback) of the tournament, his most memorable sporting moment to date. He will bolster the New Zealand Under 18 Mixed team during the upcoming touch series.

His involvement in Rugby League has been beneficial to his game, Reweti says “playing eyes up footy helps me with touch, choosing the right option under pressure also helps.” While there are many translatable skills, his fitness and vision are essential attributes to have for both sports.

Reweti’s sporting idols include two-time Dally M Medal winner Cooper Cronk, and Whanganui Open Men’s player Bernard Matthews who has guided him from a young age through some of the fundamentals of touch including throwing a long ball and a simple quicky. “He [Matthews] took me under his wing at a young age and has always pushed me to do better and be disciplined.”

It will be a special day for Reweti on the opening day of the Youth Trans Tasman series. Not only will he pull on the black singlet for the first time, but he will celebrate his 18^th birthday, a momentous  occasion which he hopes will be marked by a series win. “I am the first person on both sides of my whanau to represent NZ in my chosen sport. [I] Can’t wait to mix it up with the team and achieve our best whilst in Newcastle”.

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Article added: Friday 06 December 2019