Takapuna rugby club centurion keeps teammate in mind

Takapuna Rugby Club lock Jamie Winks, who played his 100th game for the club’s premier side on Saturday against Northcote, recalled a late teammate as he reflected on his achievement.

Viliami “Willie” Halaifonua, 27, collapsed and died in July 2013, just after coming off the field at the end of a senior rugby game for Takapuna.

“When things aren’t going so well I always think of Willie,” Winks told the Observer.

“I was in my second year of premiers when it happened. He was a great guy…

“I can still play. Things could be a lot worse.”

Winks played junior rugby for East Coast Bays and then two years for the Rangitoto College First XV before starting with Takapuna in 2008.

He played three years for the under 21s then three seasons with the premier side before moving to Scotland, where he had a three-year stint with Edinburgh Academical.

He credits his Takapuna under-21s coach Kenny Addison – the newly appointed North Harbour NPC coach – as instilling a deep love of rugby. “We had a really good time as a team – it was a great group of boys.”

Winks (32) played most of his early rugby as a loose forward: open side or number six.

In recent years, a glut of loose forward talent at Takapuna has led to him moving into lock.