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Benetton Rugby has achieved a significant recruitment success by signing Isaia Walker-Leawere, a key player for the Hurricanes and a lock for both the All Blacks XV and Maori All Blacks, to an initial one-year contract with an option for an additional season.
The athlete, weighing 122 kilograms and standing 1.99 meters tall, who secured the Junior World Cup with New Zealand in 2017, has resided in Wellington for the past decade.
His initial appearance for the Wellington Lions occurred in 2016, subsequently leading to his distinction as the youngest individual to be part of the Hurricanes team, joining at merely 19 years old.
Walker-Leawere has participated in 79 matches for the Hurricanes, registering two tries, alongside 39 games played in the NPC for Hawke’s Bay.
This formidable and agile athlete is the offspring of Kele Leawere, whose distinguished career culminated with a try in Fiji’s triumph over Wales at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, an event where he also led the Fijian team.
“We are thrilled to extend a welcome to Isaia Walker-Leawere at Benetton Rugby,” stated Antonio Pavanello, the club’s president.
“He possesses outstanding physical and technical attributes, honed within New Zealand, one of the globe’s most demanding sporting arenas.
“Isaia operates as an authoritative second row, proving very potent in lineout situations and able to influence general play through his bodily strength and agility.
“Beyond his athletic prowess, he originates from a rugby background that instills strong foundational skills, rigorous discipline, and strategic game understanding.
“His tenure with the Hurricanes, Maori All Blacks, and All Black XV serves as clear evidence of his career’s significance and the caliber of competition he regularly faces.
“We are optimistic that Isaia will profoundly enhance our second-row contingent, bringing added depth, guidance, and expertise to the group.
“Concurrently, we view Benetton Rugby as the perfect setting for him to eagerly commence his initial European venture and further develop within the framework of our athletic initiative.”
Regarding his transfer, Walker-Leawere remarked: “I am immensely enthusiastic about becoming part of Benetton Rugby and commencing this fresh phase in my professional life.
“The prospect of relocating to Italy and playing for such a distinguished club in both the URC and EPCR competitions fills me with considerable anticipation.
“This relocation also presents a wonderful experience for myself and my loved ones, and we eagerly await settling into our new existence in Treviso.
“I wish to use this moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hurricanes and the Hawke’s Bay Magpies for all their contributions to my journey. These two entities have been instrumental in my growth, both as an athlete and as an individual, and I am deeply appreciative of the backing I’ve been afforded.
“My concentration remains entirely on the concluding segment of the Super Rugby season, and I am eager for what awaits me with Benetton Rugby.”
