Terrace prop Ezekiel Amituanai inspired by grandpa’s dying wish

“He always told me I’d be great at rugby but I never believed him,” Queensland Schoolboys prop Ezekiel Amituanai said. “When he passed away, to honour his memory, I decided to start playing.”

A rookie First XV prop will hope his journey to fulfil a grandfather’s dying wish can inspire his school to the upset of the GPS rugby season on Saturday.

Ezekiel Amituanai and his Gregory Terrace teammates are now all that stands between The Southport School and the 2019 trophy.

Spearheaded by an all-Queensland Schoolboys front row of Treasure-Dillman-Amituanai, Terrace are plotting an ambush for the ages to spoil TSS’ premiership party.

Gregory Terrace prop Ezekiel Amituanai plays to honour his grandfather’s belief he could one day be a great rugby player. Picture: AAP/John Gass.

The industrious play of Terrace’s 178cm, 108kg tighthead prop has only reinforced why selectors awarded him a Queensland jersey before he had tasted a minute of First XV action.

The New Zealand-born prop had never played rugby before his family migrated to Queensland in 2011, in search of a better life away from the hard streets of South Auckland.

His transformation from a novice to representing his adopted home in rugby has been inspired by forces greater than personal ambition.

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“My grandpa passed away when I was nine, which really hit me,” Amituanai said.

“He’d always show me these videos of Jonah Lomu and tell me that I’d be a really good rugby player one day, but I’d never played before so I never really listened to him.

“When he passed away my thought was I needed to do something to honour his memory, so I decided to start playing.”

Amituanai played his first rugby match when he arrived at Gregory Terrace in Year 8 but after starting out in the centres found himself gravitating to the front row.

Terrace prop Ezekiel Amituanai carries the ball against Nudgee, Saturday August 3, 2018. Picture: AAP/John Gass.

Mentoring from 132-cap All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu and his Terrace forwards coach, Wallaby lock Mark Chisholm, helped refine Amituanai’s raw talent into gamebreaking ability.

“My dad is best friends with Keven (Mealamu, who) taught me to be clued on to what’s going on in the game,” Amituanai said

“He told me fitness was the key and just to rip in and make sure your intent was always good.

132-test All Blacks veteran Keven Mealamu has mentored Terrace prop Ezekiel Amituanai. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

Mark Chisholm, now Amituanai’s forwards coach at Gregory Terrace. Picture: Krystle Wright

“Chizz (Chisholm) is a great coach too. I was an inside centre but it wasn’t really working, so I spoke to Chizz and he moved me to tighthead prop and it was like ‘Here we go.’

“I guess I fell in love with playing prop because he’s taught me to be confident and to enjoy that position.”

Amituanai’s delight in doing the hard yards is obvious; he has tackled more than any other prop in the competition, is second in carries and third for defenders beaten through six matches.

Gregory Terrace prop Ezekiel Amituanai passes the ball at training. Picture: AAP/John Gass.

He still reminisces over those clips of Lomu but his video review sessions now include international props Joe Moody, Owen Franks and Tony Woodcock as well.

Fulfilling the promise he made to the memory of his grandfather has inspired Ezekiel Amituanai to heights he never could have imagined as a nine-year-old kid in dreary Auckland.

Knocking undefeated TSS off their perch would be a fairy tale conclusion to a five-year career at the school he now calls his home.