Seti Tafua

The Wellingtonian was left paralysed in June 2012 after suffering a spinal injury while playing his second-to-last game for Sydney club Northern Suburbs. The timing of Seti's accident was further enhanced by the fact he was booked on a one way flight back to Aotearoa a few weeks afterward.

After hitting his head on the ground while entering a ruck, two cervical vertebrae fractured, shifting position and damaging his spinal cord. With no movement from the waist down, Seti spent the next eight weeks in hospital in Sydney taking his first steps on a long road to recovery. Following that he was tramsfered to the Otara Spinal Unit in South Auckland, where the Rugby Foundation first encountered him. Now Seti is back in Wellingotn with his family. Seti has received fantastic support on both sides of the Tasman, as well as a fundraiser organised in Scotland by his friend Jason Woolcott. The messages of support flooded in from the wider sporting community - many of the video trributes can be seen by clicking the video tab above.

Former Poneke team-mate and family friend Evan Belford has been a driving force behind efforts in New Zealand that have seen about $50,000 raised. Latest efforts include several Trade Me auctions for signed sporting jerseys as well as a date with Crowd Goes Wild reporter and former Canadian rugby player Meghan Mutrie.

Initial reports into Seti's rehabilitation are positive with his Occupational Therapists in admiration of his determination. Its still a long journey ahead for Seti, but one he is determined to overcome.

The former Scots College pupil is a qualified junior accountant.