Japanese rugby is quietly confident they may just have the next Brodie Retallick on their hands.
It's a bold comparison to make but 19-year-old lock Warner Dearns not only has close links to Retallick, but he was born into a family that lived and breathed elite level sport in New Zealand.
Remember Silver Fern Tanya Dearns? The former defender was part of the so-called "Wall of Death" during the 90s and after retiring she started a family where she had a little boy who ended up being not so little.
At 19-years-old, Warner stands at 2.02 metres tall and weighs 122kg, earning him a reputation in Japan as a beast on the rugby field before his recent debut for the Brave Blossoms.
“You get the feeling that, you know, what your parents felt like when it first happened to you and you sort of sit there it's like 'oh there's a bit of dust in the air', y'know?” Tanya said.
Warner’s dad Grant was the Hawke’s Bay Magpies trainer for over a decade, developing the likes of Brodie Retallick, but five years ago he found coaching work in Japan.
Tanya stopped coaching the Central Pulse so the family could move to the Land of the Rising Sun and as a result, Warner became a Tokyo high school star.
He and classmates welcomed the All Blacks to the 2019 World Cup with “uncle Brodie” even making a visit to his school.
Fast forward two years and in Japan, Warner is still influenced by Kiwis as he’s being coached by greats such as Todd Blackadder at club level and Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown for Test rugby.
“The main goal is to become the best player at my position,” Warner said. “I really want to become that top guy in World Rugby as a lock.”
Only time will tell if he gets a chance to face his “uncle” for that right.
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