Eru Cooper - Tahuri. Photo suppliedAnother Mid Canterbury rugby player is hoping to make his name on the big stage next week.

Eru Cooper-Tahuri was named to play in the New Zealand Maori under 18 side that will play two games next week.

“I found out a week ago, I got a call at 9.30am from one of the guys who is involved with the New Zealand Maori,” he said.

“He rung me to tell me and congratulate me, I was a bit speechless.

“I’ve had a few clubmates and friends and family get in touch to say congratulations.”

Cooper-Tahuri worked his way into the side from the South Island Maori side, after playing two games in Rotorua.

“There was a training camp which the South Island Maori were selected from, and then we played games against two other sides,” he said.

“From there they selected the two teams.”

Apart from time spent playing basketball, rugby has always been the number one sport for Cooper-Tahuri, who first started playing rippa rugby before age five.

When it comes to the reason why he loves rugby and keeps playing it, the answer is simple.

“Just the whole team part of it all.

“You are out there as a team and not just by yourself, and everyone is friendly and it is a great team atmosphere,” he said.

“And the physicality keeps it interesting.”

The halfback played this season for the Celtic Colts side, before jumping into the Canterbury Maori side once the season finished.

Cooper-Tahuri also made an appearance for the Mid Canterbury Colts side in their first game of the season against Ellesmere off the bench, picking up a yellow card.

“That was my first card of the season which was a bit annoying,” he said.

When it comes to players to look up to, the All Blacks are the obvious choice.

“If I had to say someone it would be Aaron Smith.

“He has had a big influence on me, but just anyone that has pulled on the black jersey in general.

“It is a big goal for me as a player,” he said.

Making it to the top in any sport requires work, and Cooper-Tahuri has been putting in the hard yards.

“By myself I do a bit of cardio and a lot of skill related stuff,” he said.

“Usually I do it whenever I can or in between trainings, so basically every day.”

Tahuri will travel to Levin tomorrow to join the team, before playing two games next week, one on Monday against the New Zealand Schools’ Barbarians, and the other on Friday against the Tongan Schools’ side.

“I am expecting there to be a real competitive edge, not just from the opposition but also in the team against the guy I am competing against in my position,” he said.

“It is going to be hard but I am looking forward to the challenge.”

The 18-year-old, whose lineage covers Ngati Kahungungu, Ngai Tuhoe and Nga Rauru, said he hopes the tournament will be chance to build a platform to base his rugby career from.

“It is something I want to take really far and hopefully this will be something that can help me do that,” he said.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 27 September 2017