Standing Tall Read online

  The State Championships are finally here! Will the Valley team’s hard work with coach Israel Folau take them to the final?

  Daniel and Sione have landed in Sydney for the State Championships. This is the biggest stage they have ever played on and the boys are full of nervous excitement. Valley will meet their toughest opponents yet and have the weight of expectation on their shoulders. Can the team remember all they have learnt on their training trip around the country?

  With Izzy’s help, Daniel and Sione will have to dig deep and play like never before to make it to the final and win!

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Chapter 1: Sione

  Chapter 2: Daniel

  Chapter 3: Sione

  Chapter 4: Daniel

  Chapter 5: Sione

  Chapter 6: Sione

  Chapter 7: Daniel

  Chapter 8: Daniel

  Chapter 9: Sione

  Chapter 10: Daniel

  Chapter 11: Sione

  Chapter 12: Daniel

  The Valley Team

  Izzy Folau

  Izzy’s Training Tips: Tackling

  Also in the Series

  Copyright Notice

  ‘One, two, three … Oof! One, two, three … Oof!’

  Sione and his friends sat along the picket fence surrounding the oval, watching on as another rep team trained. They’d wandered in to take a sneak peek at the stadium and had come across the players dressed in blue-and-white jerseys. Their moves and exercises were so regimented that their coach just stood in the middle of them, counting to three – the signal for the front row of boys to run and tackle giant pads – over and over.

  The players grunted as they slammed into their imaginary opponents again and again. The boys were large and their voices deep.

  Sione gulped. They look like a pack of hungry lions, he thought to himself.

  ‘I’m not sure I want to face them on the field,’ TJ murmured.

  Sione nodded, unable to tear his eyes away.

  ‘They seem to know what they’re doing, that’s for sure,’ Eric agreed, leaning back on the fence.

  ‘They’re tough,’ Adam said, impressed.

  ‘They’re big,’ Steven said.

  ‘They’re show-offs,’ Daniel snapped, jumping down from the fence.

  Sione wasn’t sure if he agreed with that. This rep team looked so … professional. But he was used to disagreeing with his friend’s point of view. Daniel’s bluntness and pride had been off-putting at first, but after their two-week cross-country tour, Sione had come to appreciate Daniel’s insights and his passion for rugby.

  The coach blew his whistle and, within moments, his players had formed a circle around him, kneeling on one leg and looking up at him with undivided attention.

  ‘Listen up, boys!’ the coach shouted. ‘This is your time! This is your place! I’ve trained you right and made you ready, now it’s up to you to pay me back with victories! You deserve to be state champions – and you will be – and I deserve to be a championship-winning coach. Our training has finished, tomorrow the battles begin.’

  One of the players in blue spotted Sione watching them and winked. Sione wasn’t sure what the wink meant, but he doubted it was a friendly hello. Sione turned away and walked after Daniel as the voice of the other team’s coach echoed around the rugby complex.

  Daniel and Sione made their way back to the patch of grass in front of the main stadium’s entrance, where the rest of their team was waiting. Dwarfed by the grandstand, the team sat around excitedly discussing how cool it was going to be to play there. Next door was the ground Daniel and Sione had visited. During the State Championships both grounds would be in constant use.

  Harrison looked up as the boys walked over. ‘What was the other team like?’ he asked.

  ‘They thought they were great,’ Daniel said.

  Sione flopped down onto the grass and lay with his head resting on his training bag. He folded his hands under his head and gazed up at the blue sky. It was strange to be so close to home again. The last fortnight had been such an adventure. Two weeks ago Sione hadn’t been on an aeroplane except for when he was a baby. Since then, he’d been on three.

  Just last night I was up among those clouds, he thought. I can’t believe we’re finally here at the State Championships! Sione resisted the urge to pinch himself.

  The Valley representative team had been on a tour to Queensland and the Northern Territory. They had played many games, worked on honing their skills and had become as close as family in the process.

  It had been awesome – not just because they’d ridden on roller-coasters, been to beaches and seen real crocodiles, but because they’d done it all as a team, under the guidance of their fantastic mentor and coach, Wallaby Izzy Folau.

  ‘Sorry about the wait, guys!’ Izzy yelled, jogging over to the team. ‘I’ve got the training schedule and some other info. We’re ready to go.’

  He handed Jeremy Fisk, the team manager, a folder of information and began giving out lanyards to everyone.

  Sione pulled his lanyard over his head and examined the plastic card hanging from it. Their team name, Valley, was printed on one side in large letters, and on the other side was the Championships logo.

  ‘Cool,’ Daniel said, standing next to him.

  Sione smiled. He couldn’t wait to take a picture of it to show his family.

  ‘You have to wear these at all times,’ Izzy explained, ‘except when playing and training, of course. Without it, you won’t be allowed into change rooms and other areas closed off to the public.’

  Sione picked up his gear, eager to start the day’s training session.

  ‘We’re on Oval One,’ Jeremy said, reading the paperwork. A few Valley players groaned. ‘Don’t worry,’ he laughed, ‘we’ll get to play on the main ground, too.’

  The team made their way to the oval, where the boys in the blue kit were now picking up their equipment.

  ‘How’s everyone going?’ Izzy asked his team. ‘Not too tired after our late night, I hope.’

  ‘Russell! Russell!’ Everyone’s faces turned in the direction of the gruff voice. ‘Watch what you’re doing, Russell! Wake up!’

  The other team’s coach was yelling at one of his players, who had dropped a stack of coloured cones on the grass.

  Valley stood outside the gate and waited for the other team to come off the ground. As they did, the players in blue stared at them and Izzy. For the first time, no one came up to ask Izzy for his autograph or just to say hello. Instead, the boys puffed out their chests and walked past as if Valley didn’t exist. One or two of them even laughed.

  Sione wondered what their problem was.

  ‘Who do they think they are?’ Daniel whispered in Sione’s ear. ‘We’re just as good as them.’

  ‘Who says?’ A huge boy wearing a blue-and-white jersey towered over Daniel and Sione, a football under one arm.

  Sione was taken aback.

  ‘You don’t look that good to me,’ the boy continued, ‘and your coach is overrated.’

  ‘What?’ Daniel shouted angrily. He lunged at the boy.

  Sione grabbed Daniel’s shoulders, holding him back. ‘Don’t,’ he said. ‘It’s not worth it.’

  ‘Mick! Let it go!’ the boy’s coach yelled.

  Izzy ran over and positioned himself between the two boys. ‘Steady on, guys. What’s going on here?’

  The boy in the blue jersey smirked. ‘Your player just attacked me for no reason.’

  ‘He’s a liar!’ Daniel yelled, his face burning.

  ‘I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding,’ Izzy said calmly. ‘Let’s shake hands and start over.’

  ‘
Mick, get out of here,’ the other coach barked, as he walked past them. He glanced at Izzy. ‘I trust this isn’t an indication that your boys will be trouble at this tournament.’

  Izzy shook his head. ‘No, of course not. I’m Iz–’

  ‘I know who you are,’ the coach said and, ignoring Izzy’s outstretched hand, stalked off.

  Izzy shrugged and led the way to the centre of the oval. Daniel, still breathing heavily, had calmed down enough to walk without Sione holding onto him. He said nothing.

  Tom and Mary Parker, the team’s chaperones, came alongside Daniel and Sione. ‘Try to not let it get to you,’ Tom said gently. ‘They just want to intimidate you and put you off your game.’

  Daniel nodded.

  When they reached the middle, everyone gathered around to listen to Izzy.

  ‘We’ll only be training here for an hour before the meeting with all the rep teams in the grandstand over there.’ Izzy pointed to the imposing structure on the neighbouring ground. ‘So let’s make the most of the next sixty minutes.’

  Sione smiled. We’ve made it, he thought. We’ve actually made it!

  ‘Valley, welcome to the State Championships!’ Izzy announced with a grin.

  The boys cheered and pumped their fists before running off in all directions, their arms spread wide like the wings of a plane.

  Tom and Mary Parker laughed.

  With the sun in his eyes and the grass beneath his feet, Sione joined in with the others, running with glee across the pitch.

  Showered and warm after a hard training session, the Valley boys stood with about two hundred other people outside the main entrance to the stadium. There was chatter and excitement among the eight teams as boys compared lanyards and swapped stories.

  Daniel was more excited than most. He slung his bag over his shoulder and grinned with anticipation, reliving the moment after their training session when he’d been asked to bring his match kit to the tournament briefing.

  ‘As everyone has probably realised,’ Izzy had said, ‘we don’t have a team captain. We haven’t really needed one, playing trial games, but it’s a requirement of the State Championships. Each team needs a captain for the toss, to communicate with the referees on the field and to guide the team off it. Besides, you need a captain to hold up the winner’s trophy in all the photos after the Grand Final!’

  The boys had cheered at this.

  ‘After a lot of thought,’ Izzy continued, ‘I’m sure you’ll all agree that Daniel Masters should be captain.’

  The entire team broke into applause and whistles.

  ‘I knew it!’ Sione had exclaimed, clapping him on the back.

  It had been awesome and, for some reason, much sweeter than being named captain for his school team.

  At the start of the tour, Daniel had expected that he would be named captain – that he deserved it and no one else did – because of his skill and prowess on the field. Since then, with the help of Izzy and his teammates, he had learned the true nature of leadership and the need to be a respectful role model, not just a great player.

  Sione elbowed Daniel, jerking him back to reality. ‘Those guys are still staring at us,’ he said out of the corner of his mouth.

  Daniel shrugged. ‘Let them.’

  The crowd around them surged as boys tried to get closer to Izzy. Izzy showed no favourites, saying hello and high-fiving all of them. While each team was supposedly in opposition to one another, this wasn’t the case in Izzy’s eyes. Daniel knew from firsthand experience that Izzy wanted his players to have fun above all else. Kids were smiling, happy to be standing near the famous Wallaby.

  The big glass doors opened and everyone was ushered inside. Around a corner and through another set of doors was a room that looked like a movie theatre. A large screen hung above a stage at the front of the room, and facing them was row upon row of cushioned seats.

  ‘Wow, are we going to see a movie?’ Adam asked no one in particular. ‘This just keeps getting better!’

  A group of men and women dressed in suits stood on the stage and watched the boys file in. Once everyone was seated, one of the men stepped forward. He was wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a grey suit. He held up his hand and the crowd immediately hushed. ‘Welcome to the annual State Junior Rugby Championships!’ he announced.

  Many people clapped and whistled at this. Daniel smiled and sank into his comfy chair.

  ‘Before we get into the details of the competition,’ the man continued, ‘we have a short video to show you. Enjoy.’ He walked off the stage and sat in the front row. The lights promptly turned off and the big screen flickered to life.

  ‘Anybody got popcorn?’ Jake whispered down the row.

  ‘Even if I did I wouldn’t trust you with it,’ Daniel laughed, remembering the mess Jake made of his dinner one night.

  Daniel returned his attention to the screen. First came the inspiring soundtrack, then the scenes from previous Championships and footage of boys playing for their clubs. Line-out jumps, goal kicks, sprints down the flank – it was all there. The boys in the videos grew older and older until, towards the end, Daniel realised they were watching clips of the Australian rugby team playing in front of huge crowds. Izzy even featured in the clip, scoring a try and waving to the crowd. The entire Valley team cheered for their mentor. Then the video faded away to reveal the State Championships logo and the words ‘Tomorrow’s heroes, today’.

  When the lights came on again, the audience applauded. The air was electric with the boys’ excitement. Daniel could have watched it a hundred times without getting bored.

  The man in the grey suit stood up again and approached the microphone. ‘I’m glad you enjoyed the video,’ he said. His eyes swept the crowd, causing every boy to take a deep breath in anticipation. ‘You have all worked hard to get here. Congratulations on making it this far.’

  The man went on to explain the rules and housekeeping matters. Daniel saw Jeremy in the row in front of him taking notes. Then the competition draw appeared on the screen. Daniel, along with every other boy in the room, immediately scanned it for his team.

  ‘You’ll see from this diagram,’ continued the speaker, ‘that there are eight rep teams from across the state. Each one has been randomly placed in one of two groups of four. Over the next couple of days you will play all the other teams in your group once, which brings you to a total of three games. The two semi-finals will be held on Saturday and will be played by the top two teams of each group. On Sunday we’ll have the Grand Final and name our champion team. Don’t worry if you get knocked out after your three pool games – everyone has tickets to the Grand Final.’

  One of the other officials then stood up to talk. She mentioned that the players’ family members would be given tickets to every match and access to the teams between games. Daniel wondered what his dad would look like sitting high up in the stands. He imagined his mum sitting next to his dad and watching Daniel raise the winner’s trophy, but he didn’t have the guts to dream that big.

  Daniel turned to look at Sione, sure that he was thinking the same thing. They both lived away from their mums and Daniel knew that it was just as painful for Sione as it was for him.

  After the briefing, everyone except the team captains left the theatre and returned to their hotel rooms. Mary came over to sit with Daniel to keep him company during the photo shoot.

  ‘Are you excited?’ she asked with a smile.

  Daniel nodded. If he was honest, he felt kind of nervous. ‘Definitely.’

  The eight team captains were asked to change into their kits and then ushered onto the stage in front of the movie screen. A photographer then assembled them in various arrangements and took what seemed like a thousand photos. Daniel grinned throughout the photo shoot, proud of his Valley green. He wondered what newspapers and websites the captains’ photo might appear in.

  The entire time, however, Daniel had to avoid Mick’s eyes. He stood as far away from him as the photographer would
allow, and when Mick said something to Daniel about beating him on the field, he pretended not to hear him. Daniel kept his eyes on Mary, who was watching the shoot from the front row of seats.

  Afterwards, he felt a tap on his right shoulder. Daniel turned around and found himself face to face with Mick.

  ‘You think that just because you have Izzy Folau you’re better than us?’ Mick hissed.

  Daniel groaned inwardly. What was this guy’s problem?

  ‘Well, don’t,’ Mick sneered. ‘We’re better than you will ever be. Got that?’ He pushed Daniel as he walked past him.

  That was the final straw. Daniel clenched his fists and tore after him. He was furious.

  ‘Daniel, stop!’ Mary called.

  Reluctantly, Daniel halted in his tracks as Mary ran up to him.

  ‘Listen, he’s just trying to get under your skin. But you’re better than that, right?’ she said. ‘You’re the Valley team captain and you’re at the State Championships. How cool is that? Don’t ruin it by getting into trouble.’

  ‘But he’s being so mean!’ Daniel said through gritted teeth.

  ‘He may be,’ Mary conceded, ‘but why don’t we let our football do the talking, rather than our fists?’

  Daniel looked down at his hands and unfurled his fingers. He sighed. ‘Tries and goals may break our souls but names will never hurt me.’

  Mary nodded and put an arm around him. ‘That’s the spirit.’

  Laughing, the two of them headed out of the stadium together.

  Daniel, Jake, Adam and Sione were huddled around Adam’s iPad, watching the latest rugby match live from Europe. Their heads were practically touching in order to get a good view of the footage on the tiny screen.

  ‘France won’t win now,’ Jake said. ‘There’s a minute to go and they’re six points behind.’