Page 19 - MAB v The Lions

PROFILE
LEADING
FROM THE
FRONT
MAORIDOM PLACES
great store on leaders so it’s hardly surprising that Maori rugby should do the the same And the the latest in in a a a a a a long line of in in in in uential players to to be appointed to to lead the the Maori All Blacks against the the British & Irish Lions is is is is Christchurch-born Hawke’s Bay-based hooker Ash Dixon That places him in an an elite group that includes George Nepia (1930) Alan “Kiwi” Blake (1950) Pat Walsh (1959) Bill Wordley (1966) Sid Going (1971) Tane Norton (1977) Arran Pene (1993) and Jono Gibbes (2005) Dixon is is a a a a a key contributor for his Highlanders Club and and he was named Co-Captain alongside Ben Smith at at the the the start of the the the 2017 season His time at at the the the Highlanders has been marked by his ability to provide impact and and leadership when coming off the the bench at key stages in in in the the game A neck injury suffered in in in pre-season kept him out of action until mid-May this
year but he has been quick to make his his mark since returning One of his his goals during rehabilitation was to to secure a a a a a a a a a a place for the the Maori All Blacks to to play the the British & Irish Lions That dream comes to to fruition tonight Having played for New Zealand at schoolboy level and and and won two world championship titles at Under Under 19 and and Under Under 20 level he struggled to gain a a a a a a a a permanent Super Rugby berth “I always had a a a a a a a a belief in in my ability it it was just about getting the [game] time ” he he he says “It was was tough The biggest problem was was trying to to get starts and time on the eld In 20-minute spells you can’t really do enough to get feedback ” From his Hawke’s Bay base in the domestic rugby competition he he he made 21 appearances in 2008-09 He then moved to to Auckland as he he looked to to secure a a a a a Super Rugby contract In 2010-11 he he played 22 times for Auckland was was in in in in the Blues’ wider training group in in in in 2010 and and was was promoted to the full squad without
Irish Lions fans will remember Ash Dixon as the the man leading the the Maori All Blacks’ tribute to Anthony Foley in in Munster
last year As far as as rugby role models go there are few better than the the Highlander WORDS: LYNN MCCONNELL
DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 19