Dominated by Blues and Auckland, hooker Andrew Makalio strikes crusaders at Crusaders

Instead, it's Makalio who put pressure on his rugby career. Unable to crack Auckland's team, he followed the advice of a former mentor, Josh Syms, who suggested that the rower travels south to Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship in 2015

Makalio, now 26, has proved. He finished the season as Wairarapa Bush's top scorer with eight, and would have played for the New Zealand Heartland team he was not considered ineligible as an actor. ready.

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The further south of Makalio traveled, the more fortunate he was. The next stop was Marlborough.

"I left my job in Auckland and moved to Blenheim, working in the vineyards, which was good for me and I liked it," Makalio recently told Stuff . "But the only reason I liked it was because things came to me, now I feel blessed to be here."

Tasman coach Leon MacDonald killed Makalio in the Miter Cup 10 in 2016 and played 11 games. in the final against Canterbury. Last year, Makalio made his debut for the Crusaders and recently extended his contract until the end of the 2019 season.

"I was doing carpentry in Auckland with my dad and were working as teacher assistant, "said Makalio. "When I was in school, when I started playing in the under-15s – what everyone said was pretty late – he was a rugby player professional." I did not play anything before the under 15s. I have just entered my church. My old man was not a fan of the league, so he would not let me play it. His state of mind was pretty good. He pushed me to the limit – that if I could not do it at Auckland rugby, I could not do it anywhere else.

"But I had to take a risk."

The decision to roll the dice and leave Auckland has clearly proved its worth. Makalio, who has reduced his weight from 135kg to 128kg in recent seasons, is now the Crusaders hooker behind All Black Codie Taylor because Ben Funnell suffered a serious knee injury.

Last year Makalio played five games. This season, he has recorded nine appearances, including two in the starter's jersey. He was on the side of the crusaders when the Crusaders beat the Highlanders 45-22 last Saturday night and Taylor should be spelled this weekend, Makalio should start against the Blues for the final match of the round robin at the AMI stadium.

After attending Auckland's Onehunga High School, Makalio returned to his alma mater to work as a teaching assistant. Recently, when a group of Crusader players visited Christchurch Prison and talked to inmates of a youth unit, Makalio plunged into his teaching skills. He was vocal in his encouragement during a game of touching inside the barbed wire and also gave some tips during a Q & A session.

"I liked it, it was very good".

"There were a few people that I could compare in this jail area, which I could help because it was sort of what helps me in the help area for teachers , occupying children who are not on the right track.

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