Dwayne Sweeney’s rugby story started in a maths class at Hamilton Boys’ High — when he was called to the principal’s office, handed a phone number, and suddenly found Ian Foster on the other end telling him he was about to make his Waikato debut at just 17 years old.

From there came a career built around Waikato, Morrinsville, NZ Māori, family, identity and a deep connection to home. In this episode of ShedLife NZ with Jason Davis, Dwayne sits down for a proper long-form yarn about the moments that shaped him — from being a schoolboy thrown into provincial rugby, to becoming a Waikato centurion, playing 143 games for Morrinsville Sports, representing NZ Māori, reconnecting with his whakapapa, and finding another passion chasing marlin from a little boat.

One of the most powerful parts of the conversation is the story of Morrinsville’s 2009 championship run. Just weeks after the sudden loss of their coach, the club rallied together to win the Breweries Shield — with Dwayne still turning out for Morrinsville while playing for Waikato, sometimes only a day apart.

We also get into the lessons behind the career: hard work, discipline, pressure, family, loyalty, team culture and the saying his dad drilled into him from a young age: