• TSF Front Page
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Users
  • Tipping
  • Thread Topics
  • Tags
  • Highlights
  • Team Sheets
  • NPC Results
  • Leaderboard
Collapse

The Silver Fern

  • Tipping
  • Team Sheets
  • Highlights
  • Results

Aaron Hopa

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Sports Talk
34 Posts 15 Posters 1465 Views
Aaron Hopa
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • mikedogzM Offline
    mikedogzM Offline
    mikedogz
    wrote on last edited by
    #1
    Ben Stanley  /  Dec 7, 2018  /  Sports

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When Gordonton's Aaron Hopa died in a tragic diving accident off Whangamatā on December 8, 1998, he left a legacy shaped by rugby, whānau, and aroha. Ben Stanley tells the story of the greatest All Black you never knew.

    gt12G MokeyM jeggaJ 3 Replies Last reply
    10
  • BovidaeB Offline
    BovidaeB Offline
    Bovidae
    wrote on last edited by
    #2

    I can recall this day 20 years ago vividly, and know exactly where I was when I heard the tragic news.

    One of my favourite Waikato players at the time, and sometimes my rubbish collector. I was standing behind him in the queue at the local supermarket about a week before his death. He bought some vanilla ice cream amongst other items. It's funny the things you remember.

    In today's Waikato Times

    0_1544234101890_IMG_1322.JPG

    1 Reply Last reply
    9
  • gt12G Offline
    gt12G Offline
    gt12
    replied to mikedogz on last edited by
    #3

    @mikedogz

    It’s weird reading on a phone because you can only see Blackadder in the photo. I’m guessing Hopa is on the other side and that that isn’t a fuck up?

    DonsteppaD 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • DonsteppaD Online
    DonsteppaD Online
    Donsteppa
    replied to gt12 on last edited by Donsteppa
    #4

    @gt12 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mikedogz

    It’s weird reading on a phone because you can only see Blackadder in the photo. I’m guessing Hopa is on the other side and that that isn’t a fuck up?

    Yep - both are in the photo.

    alt text

    That's a really well put together article and a great/sad read. Rhys Duggan sums it up well about there being many what if's. Hard to believe that it's been 20 years.

    There’s a world where Aaron Hopa plays World Cup rugby for the All Blacks, takes a contract in Japan and, one day, buys a house at the beach with his wife Tracey. Maybe he runs a fishing charter or speaks te reo, like Koro expected him to pick up, like some little mokopuna, too.

    “He’d be skinny with a big gut,” Rhys Duggan says, with a laugh. “Long legs. I don’t think you’d get the mullet off him, a few grey hairs. He’d still be a big man, that’s for sure. There’s a lot of what ifs, aye. What if he did this, or did that. What would his kids be like?”

    Muir and Blackadder both admit they would have played far less rep rugby if Hopa hadn’t died. “I think about that,” Muir says. “He would have been a legend of All Black rugby, don’t get me wrong. A great All Black.”

    Blackadder agrees. Like every other ex-teammate I spoke to, he still thinks of ‘Hops’ often; the man and the rugby player. “Their story is the ultimate New Zealand [story],” he says of Hopa and Frame.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • MokeyM Offline
    MokeyM Offline
    Mokey
    replied to mikedogz on last edited by
    #5

    @mikedogz Hoooo, boy, it sure is dusty in here.

    BovidaeB 1 Reply Last reply
    3
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to mikedogz on last edited by
    #6

    @mikedogz said in Aaron Hopa:

    Ben Stanley  /  Dec 7, 2018  /  Sports

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When Gordonton's Aaron Hopa died in a tragic diving accident off Whangamatā on December 8, 1998, he left a legacy shaped by rugby, whānau, and aroha. Ben Stanley tells the story of the greatest All Black you never knew.

    That’s probably the best article to appear on the spinoff .

    antipodeanA 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • BovidaeB Offline
    BovidaeB Offline
    Bovidae
    replied to Mokey on last edited by
    #7

    @mokey said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mikedogz Hoooo, boy, it sure is dusty in here.

    So I wasn't the only one.

    Interesting to read about the ritual when friends/teammates go past Aaron's gravesite in Gordonton. My friends and I used to stop there occasionally if we were driving to a Waikato game in Auckland.

    1 Reply Last reply
    3
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    wrote on last edited by
    #8

    Him passing away pretty much launched Troy Flavells career if I remember rightly.

    NepiaN 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • antipodeanA Offline
    antipodeanA Offline
    antipodean
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #9

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mikedogz said in Aaron Hopa:

    Ben Stanley  /  Dec 7, 2018  /  Sports

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When a chief dies: the Aaron Hopa story

    When Gordonton's Aaron Hopa died in a tragic diving accident off Whangamatā on December 8, 1998, he left a legacy shaped by rugby, whānau, and aroha. Ben Stanley tells the story of the greatest All Black you never knew.

    That’s probably the best article to appear on the spinoff .

    I read it this morning. Gets a bit dusty towards the end. Very well written.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • NepiaN Offline
    NepiaN Offline
    Nepia
    replied to MN5 on last edited by
    #10

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    Him passing away pretty much launched Troy Flavells career if I remember rightly.

    I don't think that's correct, Flavell was around in 1997 but was caught up in the eye gouging incident which impacted on his early career - he first made the ABs in 2000?

    MN5M 1 Reply Last reply
    2
  • taniwharugbyT Offline
    taniwharugbyT Offline
    taniwharugby
    wrote on last edited by
    #11

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    replied to Nepia on last edited by
    #12

    @nepia said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    Him passing away pretty much launched Troy Flavells career if I remember rightly.

    I don't think that's correct, Flavell was around in 1997 but was caught up in the eye gouging incident which impacted on his early career - he first made the ABs in 2000?

    True. Eye gouged my old classmate Steve Skinnon

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • canefanC Offline
    canefanC Offline
    canefan
    wrote on last edited by canefan
    #13

    Man that is so sad on so many levels. The guy had the rugby world at his feet, could have impacted our push at RWC 99 and gone on to have a great life with the woman he loved. What a waste

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to taniwharugby on last edited by
    #14

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    MN5M 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #15

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to MN5 on last edited by
    #16

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    Yeah , imagine doing the oriental bay run ? Carrying two cans down five flights of stairs and back again . Chris Tregaskis was a rubbishman too and I think Frank Bunce?

    MN5M 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #17

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    Yeah , imagine doing the oriental bay run ? Carrying two cans down five flights of stairs and back again . Chris Tregaskis was a rubbishman too and I think Frank Bunce?

    Chris Tregaskis was a builder I think and even in the amateur days an absolute monster.

    I prefer a more leisurely stroll on ori bay, you can do much more perving at walking pace.

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to MN5 on last edited by
    #18

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    Yeah , imagine doing the oriental bay run ? Carrying two cans down five flights of stairs and back again . Chris Tregaskis was a rubbishman too and I think Frank Bunce?

    Chris Tregaskis was a builder I think and even in the amateur days an absolute monster.

    I prefer a more leisurely stroll on ori bay, you can do much more perving at walking pace.

    I worked with him a couple of years ago, he’s a tiler now. His nickname trash because he worked on the bins for a while.

    boobooB 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • boobooB Offline
    boobooB Offline
    booboo
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #19

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    Yeah , imagine doing the oriental bay run ? Carrying two cans down five flights of stairs and back again . Chris Tregaskis was a rubbishman too and I think Frank Bunce?

    Chris Tregaskis was a builder I think and even in the amateur days an absolute monster.

    I prefer a more leisurely stroll on ori bay, you can do much more perving at walking pace.

    I worked with him a couple of years ago, he’s a tiler now. His nickname trash because he worked on the bins for a while.

    Not because kinda sounds like Tregaskis?

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Offline
    canefanC Offline
    canefan
    replied to booboo on last edited by
    #20

    @booboo said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 said in Aaron Hopa:

    @jegga said in Aaron Hopa:

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    That is a brilliantly written heartbreaking story.

    Have to look at a new vacuum cleaner, as the current one clearly isnt doing its bloody job!

    Considering all their other stories about rugby are mostly sneering it’s a surprise that one slipped through the cracks .

    There’s been a few Wellington players who were rubbish collectors over the years , back in the day when then collected it from your back door it would have been an awesome way to get fit .

    Greatest of them all being the late JC of course.

    Yeah , imagine doing the oriental bay run ? Carrying two cans down five flights of stairs and back again . Chris Tregaskis was a rubbishman too and I think Frank Bunce?

    Chris Tregaskis was a builder I think and even in the amateur days an absolute monster.

    I prefer a more leisurely stroll on ori bay, you can do much more perving at walking pace.

    I worked with him a couple of years ago, he’s a tiler now. His nickname trash because he worked on the bins for a while.

    Not because kinda sounds like Tregaskis?

    double entendre?

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • dKD Offline
    dKD Offline
    dK
    wrote on last edited by
    #21

    Frank Bunce was a dustie, and played for the Dustie's Touch team at Manukau Rovers and Carlton (Grammar Tech). Had a pretty handy team mate in Eric Rush who played as well, although Eric wasn't a dustie.

    NepiaN 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • NepiaN Offline
    NepiaN Offline
    Nepia
    replied to dK on last edited by
    #22

    @dk said in Aaron Hopa:

    Frank Bunce was a dustie, and played for the Dustie's Touch team at Manukau Rovers and Carlton (Grammar Tech). Had a pretty handy team mate in Eric Rush who played as well, although Eric wasn't a dustie.

    I thought Rush did while he was a law student?

    BovidaeB taniwharugbyT 2 Replies Last reply
    0
  • BovidaeB Offline
    BovidaeB Offline
    Bovidae
    replied to Nepia on last edited by
    #23

    @nepia No mention of Messam yet. He used to run as part of Keith Lowen's crew.

    NepiaN 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • NepiaN Offline
    NepiaN Offline
    Nepia
    replied to Bovidae on last edited by
    #24

    @bovidae said in Aaron Hopa:

    @nepia No mention of Messam yet. He used to run as part of Keith Lowen's crew.

    I didn't know that, thought he came too late for the dusties in rugby.

    BovidaeB 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • mikedogzM Offline
    mikedogzM Offline
    mikedogz
    wrote on last edited by
    #25

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/9557906/From-All-Blacks-to-black-bags-for-Liam-Messam

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • BovidaeB Offline
    BovidaeB Offline
    Bovidae
    replied to Nepia on last edited by
    #26

    @nepia said in Aaron Hopa:

    I didn't know that, thought he came too late for the dusties in rugby.

    Lowen's career after rugby. I don't know if he still does this now.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/2732028/Rubbish-run-gives-Lowen-a-workout

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • taniwharugbyT Offline
    taniwharugbyT Offline
    taniwharugby
    replied to Nepia on last edited by
    #27

    @nepia Rush runs a supermarket here now.

    SnowyS 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • SnowyS Offline
    SnowyS Offline
    Snowy
    replied to taniwharugby on last edited by
    #28

    @taniwharugby said in Aaron Hopa:

    @nepia Rush runs a supermarket here now.

    Robin Brooke used to own our local supermarket, used to see him regularly. Sold it a couple of years ago.

    Back on track - what was the actual cause of death with Aaron? I know he was doing an emergency ascent from a dive but what was the physiological problem? I haven't read enough about it.

    NepiaN 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • NepiaN Offline
    NepiaN Offline
    Nepia
    replied to Snowy on last edited by
    #29

    @snowy The article posted has a bit about it.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • dogmeatD Offline
    dogmeatD Offline
    dogmeat
    wrote on last edited by
    #30

    at the time the thought was he was an undiagnosed asthmatic

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • BovidaeB Offline
    BovidaeB Offline
    Bovidae
    wrote on last edited by
    #31

    Having larger than normal lungs was always given as a contributing factor. That, and bad luck.

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    wrote on last edited by MN5
    #32

    Without being a dick about it was he really THAT good ? Could he have single handedly won the 99 WC? Call me cynical but dying young certainly enhances a legacy somewhat....

    Put it this way, people raved about Flavell and Cribb back in the day, not every bright talent has an awesome career.

    antipodeanA 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • antipodeanA Offline
    antipodeanA Offline
    antipodean
    replied to MN5 on last edited by antipodean
    #33

    @mn5 That's the mystic mystique even of unfulfilled promise. Look at how James Deans is immortalised.

    MN5M 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • MN5M Online
    MN5M Online
    MN5
    replied to antipodean on last edited by
    #34

    @antipodean said in Aaron Hopa:

    @mn5 That's the mystic of unfulfilled promise. Look at how James Deans is immortalised.

    Yeah exactly my point. I do remember watching the game against Auckland and he was brilliant but I guess you never really know.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0

Aaron Hopa
Sports Talk
  • Login

  • Don't have an account? Register

  • Login or register to search.
  • First post
    Last post
0
  • TSF Front Page
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Users
  • Tipping
  • Thread Topics
  • Tags
  • Highlights
  • Team Sheets
  • NPC Results
  • Leaderboard
  • Login

  • Don't have an account? Register

  • Login or register to search.