Ruben returns

Sunday 11th October 2009

RUBEN WIKI very nearly played league again this season. There was, I understand, an offer from the Celtic Crusaders, and having seen their results from afar, I can only assure British readers he would have stiffened their defence substantially.

At 36, Wiki is remarkably fit. I saw him Friday, and he looked as if he was getting younger, although he denied that he was dyeing his hair. He's taken to running in a big way: off-road trail races mainly and one notoriously tough half-marathon through the west Auckland hills where champion distance runners Peter Snell and Murray Halberg once trained. He earns his living as a personal trainer, working alongside his wife, former triathlete Santa, although next year he will also have a role at the Warriors, who missed him dearly in 2009 after his retirement.

So it was little surprise yesterday when Wiki returned, in a one-off appearance, as a guest star for the Samoan Residents side who played against a New Zealand Residents team at Mt Smart in Auckland.

The NZRL had considered cancelling the game after a huge tsunami hit and devastated much of Samoa. Instead, they turned it into a benefit match for the Samoan Aid Appeal, and hoped to raise around $40,000.

Wiki's comeback helped boost pre-match publicity tenfold for a game which otherwise would've merited a mention in the results column and a crowd of around 250. Instead, around two thousand turned up and the biggest cheer came when he trotted on ten minutes in.

There is no one involved in Kiwi rugby league with greater public respect than Ruben Wiki, both as a man and a player.

He wasn't the only celebrity there: rather remarkably, All Blacks coach Graham Henry was manning the barbecue alongside former Warrior and Castleford forward Awen Guttenbeil and celebrity league fan Peter 'the Mad Butcher' Leitch.

Wiki played about an hour, then enthusiastically led the Samoan war dance and said the afternoon had effectively completed his rugby league bucket list.

"It was awesome: it was probably the last thing on my list. I've got to do everythign now. It was very special for me,'' he grinned afterwards.

An unusual, but fitting end to a fine career.

Your columnist will be in Rotorua, New Zealand's smelliest town, on Wednesday night to see the Kiwis warm up for the Four Nations against a Feleti Mateo-led Tonga and will let you know how the world champions are shaping up later this week.