The Big Island of Hawai’i may be known for volcanoes and sugarcane, but neither slow lava flows or or sugar rightly describe the impact Nu’u Aiava has had on the Kutztown University rugby team.
The Big Island native usually has one specific word associated with him - electric - and certainly the outside back has sparked the Bears in his first year there.
This past weekend, Aiava scored four tries as Kutztown defeated a well-regarded Maryland team in a non-conference clash. Head Coach Gregg Jones was all smiles and praised Aiava for that electricity we mentioned.
“It was all a team effort,” demurred Aiava, who played for the Hilo Reign in high school and was a High School All American. “Everybody’s been playing well and I just benefited.”
Aiava got to Kutztown, almost 5,000 miles away from home, after some serious deliberations.
“I didn’t know what I really wanted,” Aiava told Goff Rugby Report. “I told my parents that this was a great school and a great program, but it as tough for my parents. They asked me, why Kutztown? All I could tell them was this was the best plan for me.”
Aiava had seen what could be with the HSAA team, saying that touring with thats quad to South America was a great experience, and crediting coach Salty Thompson will fueling his fire to play at a higher level.
“My goal is to make it to the USA squad,” he said. “I want to get paid to play rugby, and I look at guys like Mike Lawrenson and what they’ve done and I want to do the same.”
Aiava may do that in 7s, rather than 15s. It was in 7s that Thompson first gave him a look, and being small of stature, Aiava may well find 7s to be a better fit.
Right now, the very quick and very elusive Aiava is worried about winning some college 15s games, and he’s doing a pretty good job of it. But when 7s season comes around, watch out.
“Right now I know I’ve got a lot of things to work on,” said the center/wing. “I have been working on my defense, not over-committing. We’ve got Penn State next week and that’s a huge game for us. I know some of the guys on Penn State like Joe Kelly and Malcolm May. They’re good guys and great players. It’s going to be tough for us. It will take a team effort, but we can do it.”
There’s no doubt about that. The Big Island in Hawai’i is known for one more thing, by the way, and that’s astronomical observatories. Maybe one of those telescopes Mauna Kea can be redirected to look for stars in Pennsylvania.
Nu’u Aiava is our Aircraft Charter Solutions Player of the Week.
