Quick fire questions with Northland Taniwha players. We feature a new player profile every week of the Mitre 10 Cup season.

Matt Matich

Loose Forward, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed at Farmlands Park (Shark Park) in Dargaville and fill it with kumara to fuel the next generation of rugby talent from the Northern Wairoa.
Where were you born?
Dargaville
Where did you attend high school?
Mt Albert Grammar
What club do you belong to?
Western Sharks
Favourite rugby player?
Noah Cooper
What is your job outside of rugby?
Rugby Development Officer
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Never reverse more than you have to.

Matt Wright

Fullback, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed in my backyard. In the shed, I’d have all the essentials like a dart board, pool table and a fridge.
Where did you attend high school?
Rodney College
What club do you belong to?
Wellsford
What is your favourite food?
Pork ribs
Favourite movie?
Nacho Libre
Favourite rugby player?
Cory Jane
What is your job outside of rugby?
Tiler
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Rarotonga
What’s the best advice you have been given?
At the end of the day, it’s night (Chooky)

Prop, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed in the neighbourhood I grew up in, Glen Innes. I would turn it into a free gym for troubled youth, and target obesity in the area. In the shed, I’d have a boxing ring and weights and hold group training sessions.
Where did you attend high school?
Tamaki College / Mt Albert Grammar
What is your favourite food?
Mum’s Samoan Koko Rice
Favourite movie?
Dead Presidents
Do you have a pet?
A pitbull/labrador cross
What are your hobbies outside of rugby?
Boxing, MMA, Muay Thai and above all, family time
What is your job outside of rugby?
Fitness Trainer / Landscaper
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Rarotonga
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Tough times never last, tough people do.

Lock, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed at Matapouri, facing open to the beach. I’d fill it with the ultimate coffee bean roaster and a machine to make some salty blends. A few surfboards tucked in there too.
Where did you attend high school?
Kerikeri High School/ Mt Albert Grammar
What is your favourite food?
Seafood and pasta
Favourite movie?
Moneyball
Do you have a pet?
Cat (Panther)
What are your hobbies outside of rugby?
Cooking, cafe/coffee enthusiast, travel and following the NFL.
What is your job outside of rugby?
Hostel Manager
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Europe, in particular, Spain
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Live in the present, learn from the past and plan for the future.

Utility, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed at Te Arai Point and fill it with a John Deere tractor, a Gator and a pool table.
Where did you attend high school?
Westlake Boys High School
What is your favourite food?
Mexican
Favourite movie?
Forrest Gump
Do you have a pet?
Dog (Billie)
Who’s your all-time favourite rugby player?
Doug Howlett
What is your job outside of rugby?
Drainlayer
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Te Arai Point
What’s the best advice you have been given?
No pain, no gain

Prop, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed in Fiji and fill it with construction equipment.
Where did you attend high school?
Mt Albert Grammar
What are your favourite foods?
Traditional Fijian dish
Favourite movie?
The Blind Side
Do you have a pet?
A boxer
Who’s your all-time favourite rugby player?
Shaun Devine (Humble and a hard worker)
What is your job outside of rugby?
Operating heavy construction machines
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Naivucini Village (Fiji)
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Be humble and have humility in your heart. Treat people with respect and kindness.

Lock, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed at Wellingtons Bay and fill it with a new Hilux and a stabicraft centre console.
Where did you attend high school?
Christchurch Boys’ High School
What are your favourite foods?
Fish and chips
Favourite movie?
Any given Sunday
Do you have a pet?
A dog called Max
Who’s your all-time favourite rugby player?
Culum Reallick
What are your hobbies outside of rugby?
Diving and fishing
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Tairua
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Enjoy it

Utility, Northland Taniwha

If you could build your dream Coresteel shed, where would you build it and what would you put in it?
I would build my dream Coresteel shed anywhere in Northland that was rural and by the sea. It would be a two-bay shed with an additional room as a rumpus/bar. It would also have a boat cover at one end and a chiller for home-kill meat. In the main two bays, it would have workshop space and room for my truck and a couple of motorbikes.
Where did you attend high school?
Rodney College
What are your favourite foods?
Seafood and meat
Favourite TV programme?
Hunting Aotearoa
What’s your favourite type of music?
NZ Reggae
Who’s your all-time favourite rugby player?
Jonah Lomu (he changed the game)
What are your hobbies outside of rugby?
Hunting, fishing, 4×4 motorbikes and family
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Far Far North
What’s the best advice you have been given?
Be yourself