Western News: October 15, 2019

WESTERN NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Tuesday October 15 2019 9
• By Jacob Page
RICCARTON KNIGHTS prop
Delane Luke’s return to rugby
league has seen him selected for
the New Zealand Universities
tour of Fiji this week.
The team will play against two
Fiji Universities teams and an
Australian Universities team –
and the prop is eager to prove
himself.
“I only got back into rugby
league this year, and if you’d
told me at the start that I’d
get the chance to represent
my country at the end of it, I
wouldn’t have believed you,” the
22-year-old said.
“I’m very honoured to have
this chance.”
Luke is completing a Bachelor
of Arts, majoring in te reo
Maori and indigenous studies at
Canterbury University.
He played junior league for
Halswell before a European
rugby trip with the St Thomas’
under-16s enticed him to switch
codes.
He tried his hand in the
midfield and at loose-forward
before being converted into a
prop.
However, with several friends
playing league at Riccarton, he
decided this year was the right
time to get back into it.
“I started off in the Bs and
SPORT
NZ call-up for code-swapping
Riccarton Knights prop
OPPORTUNITY: Riccarton
Knights prop Delane Luke
will represent New Zealand
Universities in Fiji this week.
PHOTO: RICCARTON RUGBY
LEAGUE
played two games there but
played premier for the rest of the
season and loved it.
“I was nervous initially
but not having to push in the
scrums or worry about lineouts
was good and meant I could just
focus on carrying the ball and
my defence.”
The New Zealand Universities
coaching staff watched one
of Luke’s club games without
telling him they would be there,
and he found out after the game
he had made the team.
“It’s an exciting opportunity
and I can’t wait to make the
most of it.”
Daniel hits the books after
bringing home third NZ title
• By Jacob Page
CHRISTCHURCH Boys’ High
boxer Daniel Meehan is happy
to juggle his boxing dream with
studying for his NCEA level one
exams.
Fresh from winning his third
consecutive national amateur
boxing title, the 16-year-old
was hitting the books last week
rather than the punching bag.
Daniel, who trains at Papanui’s
Smiling Tigers Boxing Gym,
won the junior under-60kg New
Zealand title at the tournament
in Hastings and was also named
most scientific junior boxer.
“It felt good to win another
national title,” he said.
“I didn’t know much about my
two opponents, so I just tried to
control what I could control.
“I just wanted to control the
ring (with foot movement) and
use my jab to keep scoring. Be as
scientific as possible.”
He is following in the footsteps
of his father, Danny, who had
more than 120 fights when he
was based in Manawatu.
Daniel has been training for
the past six years under Smiling
Tigers coach Mark Fuller.
He initially started hitting
pads with his dad in the garage
and progressed from there.
He has big goals. “I’d like to
compete at the Commonwealth
Games in 2022,” he said.
HARD-HITTING:
Daniel Meehan
has added a third
New Zealand title
to his growing list
of achievements.
PHOTO:
CANTERBURY
BOXING
ASSOCIATION
“I’ll be 19 by then so that’s
what I’ve set my sights on.”
Daniel trains five times a week
and will not ease up even with
exams looming.
Fuller, who was also one of
the Canterbury coaches at the
tournament, said Daniel has a
bright future. “He has a great
work ethic, and, yes, he has
the genes that help him but he
is extremely dedicated,” Fuller
said.
“He’s a smart boxer in there
and knows what he is about. I
don’t think the Commonwealth
Games is too big of a goal for
him if he keeps on this path.”
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