Manumalo Tuila'epa Sa'ilele ae to'ilaloTole'afoa Solomona

Canterbury Rugby Players with Many Talents
By Havana Umaga
Wellington-born rugby players Tu
Umaga-Marshall and Rodney Ah You
are the new Samoan players to sign on
with the Canterbury Rugby Football
Union this season. Although rugby
was not originally their choice of sport,
their success in the game has given
them a new found passion for rugby.
Tu Umaga-Marshall’s sporting career
started with basketball, playing at national
league level from 2002 to 2004.
He played for the Waikato Titans in
2002 and 2003 and signed with the
Nelson Giants in 2004. His switch
from basketball to rugby came when he
felt his “passion for basketball had
changed and he did not like being away
from his family and friends.”
Umaga-Marshall’s change to rugby
proved a successful move when he was
picked for the Wellington Lions squad
and later on picked for the New
Zealand sevens team. A second-year
sevens squad member 26 year old said
his shift to Canterbury was due to a
lower back strain which cut his 2009
sevens season short.
Umaga-Marshall made his debut for
Canterbury against Tasman a week
ago as a replacement for winger James
Tu Umaga-Marshall and Rodney Ah You
Paterson. “The Canterbury team environment
is awesome. They have welcomed
me with open arms and the
coaching staff treats all the players
equal which is great.”
A big influence in his sporting career
decisions is his wife Riann Mihaere
and three year old daughter Kimora-
Lee who has also made the move down
south. “Having my family with me was
very important as most of my spare
time is spent with them.”
Umaga-Marshall’s father is Maori and
from the tribe Tuhoe. His mother is
from the village of Leulumoega in
Samoa and is the older sister of the famous
former All Black Tana Umaga.
While he hasn’t been to Samoa since he
was seven, he hopes to take his family
there very soon.
Unlike his team-mate, 20 year old Rodney
Ah You has been in Christchurch
since he was nine. His father Kelope
was the big influence on his sporting
career in his younger years. Kelope
was a Golden Gloves title holder and
his young son aspired to follow in his
footsteps. However, after five amateur
fights the former Christchurch Boys’
High School student discovered his
real interest while attending a school
which has a high reputation in rugby.
In his short four years of playing rugby
Ah You has represented Canterbury in
the under 17’s, under 18’s, under 19’s
and Colts teams and also represented
New Zealand in the under 19’s and
under 20’s teams. He is now signed on
for one season with Canterbury’s NPC
team. The news of him making the
team “was a real shock and is still sinking
in.”
Before rugby, Ah You tried carpentry
and worked for many building companies.
However, his busy rugby schedule
has meant he has had to put his
carpentry career on hold. His spare
time is usually spent with his family
and friends who are very important to
him. His father Kelope is from the village
of Afega and his mother Faai’u is
from the village of Saleimoa. He has
only been to Samoa once in 2007 but
hopes to make more visits.
Ah You also made his debut for Canterbury
against Tasman. Although his
time on the field was limited it’s certain
we will be seeing more of this talented
young player in the future.
We wish these two inspirational players
all the best with their rugby careers!
Tumatauenga Umaga-Marshall
DOB: 03/03/83
POB: Lower Hutt
Weight: 101 kg
Height: 1.90m
Rugby Playing Career
Position: Wing, Fullback, Mid-fielder
Clubs: Wainuiomata, Petone,
Sydenham
Provincial/State Sides: Wellington
Lions, Canterbury.
National Team(s): NZ Sevens
Rodney Ah You
DOB: 27/10/88
POB: Lower Hutt
Weight: 117 kg
Height: 1.85m
Rugby Playing Career
Position: Prop
Clubs: Linwood, Sydenham
Provincial/State Sides: Canterbury.
National Team(s): NZ under 19’s and
NZ under 20’s.
20 2nd September 2009 Le Manamea Samoa