Peter Bills: Manawatu on cloud nine in Italian bubble
His name won't strike a ready chord with you, but then, that won't surprise him. Tim Manawatu knows he doesn't exactly have a name as familiar as Dan Carter or Richie McCaw.
No matter, this young man's life has been transformed since he got to Italy on his rugby odyssey; there really is no other way to describe it.
Like all young New Zealand kids, he yearned to pull on the black jersey, to call himself an All Black. But that is a reward afforded to just the privileged few.
However for Manawatu, there has come the stunning realisation that you don't have to play at the level of the All Blacks to earn an extremely pleasant living out of professional rugby in Italy, the rugby nation which plays Ireland in the Six Nations opener at Croke Park on Saturday week.
Originally from Kaikoura, part of the Canterbury region on the south island, Manawatu took a leap into the unknown several years ago and has counted his blessings every day since.
Now aged 28, he plays full-back for L'Aquila rugby club, high up in the mountains of central Italy. Last year, a massive earthquake killed over 300 people in the town, capital of the Abruzzo region, and reduced much of the city centre to ruins. Manawatu doesn't live there; his home is in Rome where he has a house just outside the Eternal City.
"We felt the shock 100 miles away in Rome," he remembers. "When we got to L'Aquila to see what had happened, the damage was awful. It was terrible to see the town like that."
But for Manawatu, the experience of moving to Italy has been one he will never regret. "The quality of life here is simply incredible," he admits. "Quite simply, the club pays for everything. Our house, car, utility bills -- everything is paid for. Coming here (to Italy) and playing was really a no-brainer.
"After everything is paid for by your club, you then receive a salary. I played a lot of rugby in New Zealand and enjoyed it, but now I have a young family so I've got to make a living and save money. They look after their foreign players so well here you can really do that.
"Back home, to have all this and be saving the amounts of money I am able to do each month, I would have to be an All Black. You could play Super 14 in New Zealand but you'd have to pay for your own house and car. Here, I estimate we make more than Super 14 players back home. And we don't have to pay any bills. If you can't save money over here you are stupid.
"Some players here are on really big deals."
How do the Italian clubs manage it? "Most clubs have big major sponsors," he explains. "The team's jerseys are covered in sponsors' logos, sometimes up to 30 of them. Of course, soccer is the really big game in Italy but the Italians are passionate about any sport and many of them still follow rugby, especially in the local towns such as L'Aquila.
"It's hard in New Zealand to be a professional player. You think you should be enjoying a terrific standard of living but the costs are high. Here, it's so much easier to save money."
Manawatu drives for 80 minutes to reach the club's training ground from Rome. He travels with four pals who also live near the capital, taking it in turns to drive which makes it easier for all of them.
Wonderful
"I have a nice house in Rome and it's a wonderful city to live in. The first two years I spent in Italy I played for a second division club, Piacenza. That was a great place, too. I also played for Capitolina in Rome.
"All the clubs are family orientated and they treat you like their own. At L'Aquila we have another Kiwi plus a South African, Canadian, Argentinian, two English guys, and many local players. It's a good mix."
Manawatu insists the standard of the Italian Super 10 league merits much respect.
"The top squads here could compete in the Air New Zealand Cup. The bottom teams would be similar to the New Zealand second division sides.
"There are a lot of foreign players; some squads are packed with South Africans, many of whom are ex-Super 14 guys. There are lots of Kiwis here, too, and sometimes you think we have a better squad overseas than in New Zealand."
So will the allure continue to attract myriad numbers of players from all over the world? Manawatu certainly believes so. "This trend will continue as long as there is money here.
"You couldn't compete money-wise with this and consequently, couldn't enjoy such a great lifestyle unless you were an All Black. But you don't have to be a superstar over here to earn such a good living."
- Peter Bills
Irish Independent
