hiː ɪmˈɜːdʒd æz ɐ pɹəspˈɛktɪv ɹˈʌɡbi plˈeɪɚ wɛn hiː mˈuːvd tə nˈɔːɹθ hˈɑːɹbɚ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz tˈiːneɪdʒ jˈɪɹz, mˌeɪkɪŋ ðə hˈɑːɹbɚ kˈoʊlts ænd nˈuː zˈiːlənd kˈoʊlts ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈaɪv plˈeɪɪŋ ɪnðɪ ɪnˈɔːɡjʊɹɹəl wˈɜːld ˌʌndɚ twˈɛnti wˈʌn tˈʊɹnəmənt ɪn ˌɑːɹdʒəntˈiːnə.
He emerged as a prospective rugby player when he moved to North Harbour during his teenage years, making the Harbour Colts and New Zealand Colts in 1995 playing in the inaugural World under 21 tournament in Argentina.