Hokianga Named to Lead New Zealand at the Student World Cup

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Hokianga Named to Lead New Zealand at the Student World Cup

Wellington, New Zealand, July 4, 2013 – Wellington Institute of Technology student Denzil Hokianga, has been named to lead the New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students side as it prepares to compete in the eighth Student Rugby League World Cup, starting tomorrow morning, in Bradford, England.

After having led the NZUTSRL side over the past two seasons against New Zealand Maori in Koroneihana (Coronation) fixtures, the appointment of the Wellington Institute of Technology social services major, is hardly surprising, but nevertheless comes with some history.

In captaining the team, it will be the first time a non-university student has ever captained a New Zealand team at a Student World Cup and it will be the first time since the inaugural 1986 World Cup, that a Wellington-based student, will captain the team, following the appointment of the recently elected NZRL President and former Kiwis player, Howie Tamati.

With only three pool matches before semi-finals begin on July 12, Hokianga is fully aware of the pressures the team is under from the time it begins to play its first game against new Student World Cup entry, Russia, tomorrow morning (NZ time).

“We are going out to play league and not sit on the sidelines,” he says.

“I feel that with the amount of hard trainings we have had over the past couple of days and good vibe we are experiencing within the squad that we are now ready to go.”

Hokianga, a 34 year old former Regular Force soldier, spent eight years in the New Zealand Army before calling it a day and turning his attention to study. A member of the Te Aroha Club based in the Lower Hutt suburb of Waiwhetu for the past 13 seasons, the former Fielding High School student is a utility back and was a player in the first ever Te Aroha premier Grand Final win in 2000, before being leading them to victory for their second title as player-coach in 2011.

“I think I do have some nerves prior to going into this first Student World Cup match,” says Hokianga, “but I think that is good, because if you are comfortable, you are not being pushed hard enough.”

The New Zealand team to play Russia Students in their first Student World Cup game will be named overnight by the New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students Rugby League coach Trevor Clark.

A total of 24 tertiary and university players from Auckland to Invercargill are in the New Zealand squad, including brothers, Raynard and Marrin Haggie, with the latter having the honour to lead a specially composed haka that he wrote himself.

The game will be played in the Bradford Bull’s home ground of Provident Stadium and will kick off at 7.00am, New Zealand time, on Friday morning, which will be followed by the other Pool A fixture between defending champions, Australia and Scotland.

The Student Rugby League World Cup, which is hosted by England, runs until July 14.

ENDS

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