When it comes to Kodie Watts’ drive and passion for rugby – “it’s always been there”.
The 15-year-old athlete, who is a year-11 student at Hauraki Plains College, came from a family who loved the sport and was inspired by them to be the best player he could be.
He said he was also impacted by the rugby achievements of older brother Ethan Watts, who “makes me want to follow in his footsteps and do the best I can”.
Kodie was recently selected to join the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand in Wellington for an advanced training programme across the April school holidays.
The moment he received the news of his selection he was stoked and happy with “a few nerves flying around”, he told The Profile.
He looked forward to “just learning new things that I don’t know about the game”, as well as “improving my game and seeing where it will take me”, he said.
During the programme, he was also set to train alongside former All Blacks coaches.
“It feels amazing knowing that I will be learning from guys with huge experience. I am looking forward to meeting them. I don’t know who they are yet.”
He hoped to gain more skills in areas such as kicking and passing, to get to a higher fitness level and make new friends from overseas.
The emerging talent was five years old when he played for the Maramarua Rugby Club, which is when it all started.
His hope was to play super rugby or represent his country in the next 10 years, he said.
When it comes to his position, Kodie said he usually played in the 12 jersey, which is second-five, but last year he played half-back and enjoyed it.
He stayed focussed when faced with challenges by “just putting my head down and getting on with it”, he said.
“I love the game that much I’m keen to give any position a go.”
The biggest challenge in sport so far was when he broke his kneecap and dislocated his knee in touch rugby.
“I was gutted because I couldn’t play the first year of college rugby. So it was pretty hard to come back, join the team and find my rhythm again.”
The young athlete said it taught him to “suck it up” and get on with it.
He was focussed on fitness, kicking and passing daily at home, on the field or “anywhere there is a rugby ball”, he said.
He also concentrated on running more and getting his fitness up by road running and running broncos, which is a high intensity shuttle-running fitness test.
It was clear Kodie was not one to sit idle with hobbies such as hunting, fishing, golf and touch.
“[I’m] always keen to give any games a try. I’m not one for sitting inside,” he said.
There was one significant rugby experience that stuck with Kodie and helped shape who he was: when he made the rugby final for the HPC Under 15 Black rugby team with all his friends.
“Although we didn’t win we had an awesome season with a fantastic group of boys making lifetime memories,” he said.
“It taught me that if you work together as a team that’s where it can take you.”
By DAVIDDA HIKATANGATA
