Coaches Eady Manawaiti (left) and Te Kūiti’s Shaun Botherway
Humble upbringings in Te Kūiti are what Eady Manawaiti believes are the catalyst to the opportunities life has presented him.
On field training with captain Andy Ellis at Kobe. Photo: Eady Manawaiti
Manawaiti has experienced the world but he never forgot his roots. Now as Waitomo deputy mayor he’s serving his community.
From Te Kūiti to South Auckland, Hamilton, Scotland, Ireland and Japan, Manawaiti has travelled through rugby and filled his “basket with knowledge”.
“My time overseas broadened my view on how other people live,” Manawaiti said. “Having worldly experiences is valuable because there are snapshots of experiences that can become valuable in contributing back to your community.”
Manawaiti said youth have more access to opportunities through sport today.
“I was a fairly average rugby player that did the best with what I had. I took the opportunities I was presented with,” Manawaiti said.
His grandparents, Eddie and Betty Manawaiti, raised him.
“That’s where I learned how important service is and giving back,” Manawaiti said.
“All the values, the work ethic, resilience and adaptation – that’s come from being brought up by the old people.”
His grandparents wanted to see him achieve and paid for him to attend boarding school at St Stephen’s College in the Bombay Hills.
Alongside former Māori All Black Deon Muir, Manawaiti played in one of the most successful first XV sides in their history.
The 1991 squad won the top four competition, going unbeaten that season.
Eady Manawaiti (far left) and his 2018 champion Hamilton Old Boys side containing All Blacks Sevu Reece and Quinn Tupaea. Photo: Lauran Robinson
“I have never forgotten my teacher Wayne Ngata saying, ‘whatever you do in life, just be a useful person’,” Manawaiti said.
In 1992, the loose forward returned to King Country where he played many years of club rugby for Piopio, Ōtorohanga, Tihoi and Waitete, winning championships in 1998 and 1999 with the latter two clubs.
He made his King Country NPC debut in 1995 and went on to play 38 games.
Through coach Noel McQuilkin, Manawaiti also got the opportunity to play in Scotland.
“Then Chiefs coach Kevin Greene attended one of our 1999 trainings. He was a player agent at the time and had coached professionally in Scotland,” he said.
“Noel mentioned to Kevin that I was interested in investigating an opportunity to play overseas.”
Manawaiti and former Waikato back Kyle Bruning were the first foreign players to be paid semi-professionally by Ayr Rugby Club.
While in Scotland, he also followed the journey of his ancestry.
“I always knew about my Scottish ancestry through Clan Macrae and I did make a point to research about where they came from.
“Clubs were allowed to contract two overseas players, that was one of the Scottish Rugby Union policies to grow their game. I was valuable because they could have me and two others through my ancestry visa.”
Manawaiti played nine back-to-back seasons, returning home after each Northern Hemisphere season.
Coach Eady Manawaiti with the 2019 Hamilton Girls High first XV after winning the Top 4 in Palmerston North. Black Ferns Vici-Rose Green and Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu were in that squad. Photo: Supplied
“I’d have two weeks off in between hemispheres. I kept playing because it was easier than yo-yoing up and down with weight and motivation.”
While back in New Zealand he ended up at Hamilton Old Boys from 2002-2004, winning a grand final, losing one and then returning to coach them to back-to-back Waikato premier championships in 2017-2018.
While at Ayr he was selected for the Glasgow Warriors before moving to another Scottish club, Biggar. He captained both sides.
His final playing destination was Blackrock College rugby club in Ireland.
“Just because you’re from a small town, doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in other places around the world or an hour up the road,” Manawaiti said.
Manawaiti pulled experiences and knowledge from his travels to share with his whānau.
“I coached Benneydale-based Bush United Rugby Club for three seasons. Everything that I learned from my amateur to professional rugby career I gave back. Learnings included spending time in coaching development in Japan, at Teikyo University with Greg Smith, then alongside Wayne Smith and Dave Dillon at Kobelco Steelers,” Manawaiti said.
“That was an important part of why I wanted to coach Bush, to say to those players, you don’t have to go to the city to get this knowledge.
“It’s right here in our own local area if the people that have that knowledge are prepared to give up their time and share it with those who are willing to receive it.
“My son Zacharia [Wickham-Darlington] made King Country playing for Bush.
“Two of my favourite achievements there were beating Waitete at Benneydale for the first time and then heading to Rugby Park Te Kuiti in 2024 and beating them on their home ground.”
The clubs Manawaiti played for overseas were heavily financially resourced, making the players’ lives a lot easier and giving them more time to focus on training and travelling.
“We never took anything for granted. My wife and I counted our blessings every time we were able to travel and give our kids experiences. Like going to Disneyland in Paris and getting my wife’s parents over for a Scottish Christmas,” Manawaiti said.
“I’ve been surrounded by so many great leaders and inspirational people. It set me up to have a pathway where at the end of that pathway, it’s my turn to give back.”
Coaches Eady Manawaiti (left) and Te Kūiti’s Shaun Botherway after winning the Northern Region Under-18 tournament with the New Zealand Harlequins Under-17 Team. Photo: Supplied
