Cultural Vista in Fiji recently. The forum takes 42 leaders
who are selected out of around 4200 applicants from across
the Pacific to attend a four day conference filled with lectures,
simulations, forums and problem solving experiences based on
particular topics that impact on countries now.
Sean fills me in on what attending was like for him. “Definitely
out of my comfort zone. I learnt a lot of things but the best and
biggest message was that there is a solid calibre of young leaders
that are based around the Pacific”. You can definitely see that
Sean has the right tools to lead in a quietly assertive manner as
he explains to me that for too long Youth in the Pacific have
been kept quiet but in terms of the problems we face he believes
it is not a bad idea to let that young voice come through. He
explains, ‘… the ideas are creative
and innovative, all solution driven
rather than focusing on the
problem. We know we need to fix
it, because quite frankly we don’t
have lot of time in that climate
change space as well as some of
the social development issues
in countries with Governments
political practises also raises
concerns.” Spoken like a true future
political leader I suggest and that
leads us to the sometimes political
framework of Rugby, a good testing ground. Interviewing Sean
you understand he is not going to race into something without
considering the angles after all his profession is all about that
so the decision to become the President of the Rugby Union
would have been well considered.
“I put a bit of thought in to it. I noticed my friends and my
brothers friends had all moved back to the Cooks with kids. We
would have Sunday chats about it being time for us to take a
hold of how things are run in the Islands.”
This approach drove Sean to step into the President’s role in
2018. Having seen the rise and fall of the National team, Sean
set about to reignite the spark using the energy of his peers to
give Rugby a boost and bring it back into the limelight for kids
and the community. That spark was quick and 18 hours after
being elected President he received a phone call to see if the
Cook Islands were able to host the Hong Kong versus Cook
Islands World Cup Qualifier match. The deadline was less than
14 weeks’ away and Sean jumped to it. “We had to meet the
World Rugby criteria for International matches which I knew
was going to be a challenge but I more or less said yes!” he
laughs and goes on to tell me, “I didn’t really know what I was
doing but challenge accepted”.
Sean is keen to build vision and practical steps for the future of
what Rugby can be for the Cooks Islands in the Pacific region.
A region that is producing some of the most significant stars of
the international game. The Hong Kong game managed to get
Cook Islands Rugby back in the eyes of Oceania Rugby and the
eyes of Hong Kong footie highlighting players, growing support
for the team and what Rugby can deliver.
“The Hong Kong match bought to the Cook Islands a fully-
fledged test which was sanctioned by World Rugby. It not only
showed World Rugby that we can host these types of matches
but we showed ourselves that it is possible. We opened the
doors to hosting other types of matches. NZ Rugby, Oceania
Rugby and Super Rugby have started to dive into the Pacific for
games so having that test here was a big tick for us.”
2019 is also a big year for Cook Islands Rugby 7’s Tournament
as well. Set to reach a 30 year land mark it is the oldest 7’s
tournament in the South Pacific and one that has seen many
great stars come to play and join in on the fun. Jonah Lomu,
Jordan Bunce, Luke Maserewa, Rieko and Akira Ioane, Zar
Lawrence, Rene Ranger, Orene Aii, Sione Lauaki, Liam
Messam and Karl Te Nana to name
drop a few so the comp is well known.
Held on the 1-3 November it is a
Tournament that brings locals and
tourists out for a great time and to
watch some stellar Rugby 7’s. The
Rugby Union under Sean has big plans
not only for the event but for the code
of 7’s recognising that the international
7’s forum is a viable avenue for Cook
Islanders to perform on the world
stage. The Cook Islands Men’s 7’s often
qualify for Hong Kong and the New
Zealand 7’s tournaments. Cook Islands women are also proving
they have the skills with Black Ferns Toka Natua, Te Kura
Ngata-Aerengamate and rising star Elizabeth Pera who has been
playing in Japan.
When we talk through the current situation Sean explains
that the player base here in Rarotonga is small due to young
people leaving and realises that the challenge for players is that
the Union cannot currently provide an enticing offer for them
to stay. Resources are limited and most players have full time
jobs, with everyday life on top of keeping fit and training.
But not to be defeated Sean is in talks with New Zealand
and Australian sporting scholarship programs to bridge that
gap and provide future talent with opportunities for high
performance monitoring and training; and as he says at least
getting the Cooks invited to or having a crack at scholarships
and contracts. The vision is to build a database of strong top
level players that Sean can make that phone call to and know
that because of the support given to them they will seriously
consider coming back and representing for the Cook Islands. A
strategy that I have no doubt Sean will implement and ensure
does create a new direction for rising sporting talent.
We wrap up our interview with the question of politics. Does
he have aspirations to tackle that area? He ends with, “It is
the whole getting past the weekend thing” he laughs and says
“There is a part of me that yearns to get out and do things
for my community and lead, to be present, to help with the
direction of where we want to go as a community and country.
That voice saying to get into politics is a small part but a very
loud and strong part of me.”
Escape Magazine • 63