{"id":8679,"date":"2026-08-20T11:15:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T23:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bullerrugby.co.nz\/wp4\/?p=8679"},"modified":"2026-08-20T11:15:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T23:15:45","slug":"a-milestone-saturday-in-buller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bullerrugby.co.nz\/wp4\/a-milestone-saturday-in-buller\/","title":{"rendered":"A Milestone Saturday in Buller"},"content":{"rendered":"
There will be plenty of reasons for Buller Rugby supporters to celebrate at Victoria Square this Saturday.<\/strong><\/div>\n
\n

Three of them will be wearing the red and blue.<\/p>\n

When Buller takes the field this weekend, Miti Kaloudigibeci and Anthony Ellis will join an incredibly exclusive group of players to have represented the province 100 times, while local product Joel Hands reaches the 50-game mark.<\/p>\n

Between them, they have given Buller Rugby 250 games \u2013 but the number only tells part of the story.<\/p>\n

Their journeys to the milestone could hardly be more different.<\/p>\n

Miti arrived in Buller from Fiji and first pulled on the provincial jersey in 2008 after making his mark with Westport Rugby Club.\u00a0Eighteen years later, the winger, centre and fullback will play his 100th game for Buller.\u00a0Along the way, he has become much more than a rugby player in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiti came here as a young fella, played his first game in 2008 and now, 18 years later, he plays his 100th,\u201d Buller coach Craig Adams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe made Westport his home and Buller his home because of rugby. He wouldn\u2019t be here without rugby.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an absolute team man. Everyone who has played with him would be so complimentary about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miti has also given more than 100 games to his club, while balancing rugby with his work at the mine and life in the Buller community.\u00a0For someone as reserved as Miti, Adams expects the milestone will be a proud moment \u2013 even if he would probably prefer the attention to be elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll be proud but he won\u2019t want it to be about him,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n

If Miti’s journey began with a move from Fiji, Ellis\u2019 started with a move from Wellington.<\/p>\n

Anthony initially came to Buller as a loan player in 2015. More than a decade later, he has built a life in the region and has become one of the province\u2019s most influential rugby figures.<\/p>\n

He has captained Buller, and this season has taken on a player-coach role, passing on the knowledge he has gathered throughout his career.\u00a0Away from the Heartland Championship, his contribution is just as significant.<\/p>\n

Alongside his partner and three children, Ellis is involved throughout the Buller rugby pathway, from coaching his son and helping with Under 6s through to secondary school First XV rugby.\u00a0He has also established his own building business in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came as a loan player initially, from Wellington, and never left,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe found a wife, he runs a building business, did his trade here \u2013 he\u2019s a man of the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wants to pass on his knowledge and wants a future in coaching. He\u2019s open to feedback and wants to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

That willingness to keep learning has been a feature of Ellis\u2019 time in Buller, just as much as his ability on the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s such a top man,\u201d Adams said. \u201cHis athletic ability and skillset are phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then there is Joel Hands.\u00a0Unlike Miti and Anthony, Joel didn\u2019t arrive in Buller. He was born into it.<\/p>\n

A farmer from a long line of Buller farming stock, Hands made his senior provincial debut as an 18-year-old in 2018 and has been a consistent presence in the red and blue ever since.\u00a0Adams remembers that first representative game particularly well.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe played his first rep game as an 18-year-old against West Coast at Victoria Square and scored a beautiful try,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember how much work he had to do. He really showed his talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hands has gone on to establish himself as a versatile and competitive member of the Buller squad, while balancing rugby with farming, his partner and their two children.\u00a0His rugby story already includes some special moments, including scoring two tries in Westport\u2019s 2018 Senior Shield victory.<\/p>\n

Now he has another milestone to add to the list.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s extremely loyal and committed to us,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll look at this and have a huge amount of pride in it. He\u2019ll want to do well.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, being a young player reaching 50 caps, there is little doubt what the next target will be.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll want to get to 100,\u201d Adams said. \u201cHe\u2019s a young fella, and that would be really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Adams, the three milestones also provide a reminder of just how difficult it is to accumulate provincial caps in the Heartland Championship.<\/p>\n

Unlike professional rugby environments where players can train together throughout the week, Buller\u2019s squad is made up of people with jobs, families and commitments away from rugby.\u00a0Mining is a major part of life for many players, with some not finishing work until 7pm. Training around those commitments requires flexibility from both players and coaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a lot of time together,\u201d Adams said. \u201cWe\u2019re training once a week and working around jobs and families.\u201d<\/p>\n

That makes reaching 50, let alone 100, even more significant.<\/p>\n

And there is another number that puts the achievement into perspective.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Adams reminded his players that on the weekend, a player became the province\u2019s 1111th player, while Miti and Anthony are set to become just the 15th and 16th players to reach 100.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly 1.4 percent of players have managed to achieve that,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuller has a proud history.\u201d<\/p>\n

That history will be on display this Saturday.<\/p>\n

The milestone players will be joined by their families before kick-off, with former Buller players also returning to help recognise their achievements after the match.<\/p>\n

Miti, Anthony and Joel will each be presented with a blazer by former players \u2013 a tangible reminder of the generations who have worn the same jersey before them.<\/p>\n

But perhaps the most fitting part of the occasion is that their families will be there beside them.\u00a0Because while the milestones belong to three players, they are also a celebration of the people and community behind them.<\/p>\n

Three different journeys. Three very different paths to the same jersey.<\/p>\n

And on Saturday, 250 Buller caps will be celebrated by a community that knows exactly what they are worth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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