Article added: Friday 13 September 2024

By Cira Olivier

One runs straight into people he knows he can’t tackle, the other is a gentle giant with a heart that matches his stature.

Two young rugby sevens players, miles apart in both geography and size, who have a few things in common – they both plan to be an All Black, and they both love how everyone can get involved at the Zespri AIMS Games.

Kaitaia Intermediate’s Hunter Corrigan is the only Year 7 in his team. The 11-year-old reckons he’s “about four-foot-something”.

Elias To'ua is a Year 8 student from Liston College in Auckland. The 13-year-old is around six-foot-one.

This week both boys have been competing at the AIMS Games in Tauranga alongside nearly 13,000 athletes from around New Zealand and overseas.

On the sideline with his team in between games, Hunter hangs onto the waist of one of his mates as he runs, getting dragged along the grass as they all laugh.

Tackling isn't his strong point.

“When you verse the big players, it’s scary. They’re way bigger than you, way faster, and if you can’t tackle, like me, it’s scary,” Hunter said.

That doesn’t stop him, though. He's been playing rugby since he can remember.

“I run to them.”

Hunter has loved the AIMS Games, playing and bonding with his teammates, and said sevens is a game for anyone.

He and Elias are proof of that.

Elias has been playing rugby since he was 5 and he’s built for it. He loves the game. Loves running hard. Loves pumping his legs.

There’s plenty of height in his family too, with his brother, who is in Year 10, measuring around six-foot-five.

Elias said it was great to see a range of kids playing this week, with “something for everyone” at the annual week-long sports tournament for intermediate-aged students, which has 27 sporting codes to choose from.

He said the AIMS Games had been “wonderful” and he has loved staying with the group and “exploring what AIMS is about”.

Being so tall does mean his opposition players are often a lot smaller, which Elias said can be a bit “scary”. He said he needs to get a lot lower to make safe tackles.

“You can get sin-binned, or you might knock them out.”

Elias was proud of himself and his team, and said it was important for them to represent their school community, values, and coaches.

“We’re just doing a job for our coaches and our school.”

Playing for the All Blacks would be a dream come true for Elias, with the plan to play for Waikato and then the Chiefs first. None before he’s finished school though, he said.

It follows a similar progression to his role model Samisoni Taukei’aho who debuted for Waikato in 2017, signed a contract with the Gallagher Chiefs in 2018, and then made his test debut for the All Blacks three years later.

Elias is also a fan of the fast Damian McKenzie.

When he gets to that level, Elias wants to be known as “the King Kong”.

His uncle and the school’s director of rugby James Fuiava said he was the same height as Elias when he was his age.

“You do get shy and you do put others first and kind of don’t give it your all. A lot of boys his size would shy away from games like this, especially against other kids who are shorter,” he said.

“It’s really hard for kids like him to come out of their shell.”

James said Elias’ presence in the team was “outstanding” and “encouraging” for his teammates.

Liston is his old school, and he wished AIMS was around when he was there, which has made him more passionate about getting students to Tauranga. This is his ninth year bringing a group.

“When you didn’t get it, and you see these opportunities pop up, you want these guys to have it and make the most of it and give them a chance.”

James said being able to compete in something like AIMS may have helped with his own shyness around his height growing up.

Elias’ AIMS Games experience is now over, but Hunter will have another shot.

Hunter said he will make the nine-hour journey to AIMS from the Far North again next year.

His dad, Patrick, said Hunter’s grown up on the rugby field. He was given a Waikato jersey when he was born and his Nan knitted his bear a Waikato Rugby jersey, too. Hunter still has it.

“He’s been down at the rugby since he was born,” Patrick said, remembering a baby Hunter on the sideline while he coached the Under 13s.

“He’s never been dispensated, he’s always played the same age and grade,” Patrick said, even though it would probably be granted if Hunter went for it.

A dispensation is when a provincial rugby union allows a player to play outside their age or weight grade. But Hunter doesn’t need it.

His consistency, enthusiasm, knowledge, and effort is an asset to his team.

“He hates losing,” Patrick said.

Hunter doesn’t hesitate when saying he plans to play halfback for the All Blacks. He wants to be known for being “a good passer” which he coyly admits he is good at.

“I could play both,” he said, adding rugby sevens to that dream. “But I don’t think I’d make it.”

Seeing him on the field this week, we'd disagree.

The future is bright for both Hunter and Elias.