Watching over his teammates, a giant tribute to Kawa
AMPO Ordizia –a small Basque club riding high in fourth place in the Honor Division One, the top tier of Spanish rugby – paid tribute to their popular Kiwi professional Kawa Leauma last weekend in some style when they continued their League campaign with a 22-3 win over the University of Burgos.
Leauma died just before Christmas when he fell from a hotel balcony in Amsterdam shortly after Spain's REC fixture against the Netherlands which also doubled up as a Rugby World Cup qualifier.
The transplanted New Zealander had made his debut in Spanish colours in a non-capped game against Italy A in Madrid in November and had been expected to make his full debut against the Dutch.
He was withdrawn from the match day squad at the last minute, however, when the Spanish Federation, mindful of the controversy which engulfed them during their RWC2019 qualifying campaign, wanted to double check with Rugby Europe that he had fulfilled the three year residency quali- fication in every detail.
The full circumstances of his death have yet to be ascertained but Spanish rugby paid their respects last Saturday with a minute's silence at all their games while Oridiza, little more than a vil- lage, unveiled a huge tribute flag to their star forward on halfway before their game to watch over proceedings.
