From the Newbury News

Report by Chris Slavin

Newbury flanker Johnny Tu'amoheloa may only have been at Monks Lane since the summer but he says promotion is within the grasp of the Berkshire club.

The 24-year-old Tongan international has been impressed with the set-up at the club and believes everything is geared to going up to a higher level.

...“Everything is in place that we need to go up,...” he said. ...“We have great facilities here and a great management team ...– Ben (Ryan) and his coaching staff are really on the ball. ...“There is also a lot of potential on the playing side so I see no reason why we cannot get promoted this season....”

The Blues open side flanker played a key role in Saturday...’s 16-14 win against Manchester, a result that put his new side up to third place in National League Two.

Johnny says he has settled in well at the club, though he does miss home.

He said: ...“The people here have made it easy for me to settle in, they have been very friendly and I am enjoying the culture here. The fans have been great but it would be good to have even more of them along to see our games.

...“It is human nature to miss your family and friends but it is the nature of rugby that you move around and Newbury is a really good place to come and play....”

The Tongan was given the nickname ...‘Johnny Schoolboy...’ back in New Zealand and he jokes that he will be stuck with it forever.

...“It is funny to be called that,...” he said. ...“I was given the nickname when I played my first game for Massey as an 18-year-old and the name has stuck. I don...’t think it will ever go away....”

Johnny was raised in Australia but moved to New Zealand when he was 14. He was part of the Kelston Boys High School team that won the first World Schools XV Championship in 1998 and one of his team-mates was current All Black full-back Malili Muliaina.

Further success followed for Johnny when he made his debut for Massey and he played in the 2003 World Cup for Tonga against Canada.

Just before he came to Newbury, he was part of the Massey team that won the North Harbour Premiership Final.

Unsurprisingly, Sione, as he would be known back home, rates the World Cup experience and his school triumph as the highlights of his career so far.

...“To be in a team that was world secondary schools champions was something special and just to be at the World Cup was amazing,...” he said.

However, there was a downside when he was not included in the team to face his adopted country, New Zealand.

...“It was a disappointment to miss the New Zealand match but I was only just in the squad,...” he said. ...“I accepted that I was there for the future but it was still hard to watch....”

Johnny sights his development as a rugby player as a key reason for moving over here.

He said: ...“I coach kids in Tonga and things I have learned here will be passed on to them. It can only improve you as a player to experience the different styles of rugby played in the southern and northern hemisphere....”