Sting in the tale of Hornet Stowers-Smith’s Kiwis debut

Tanner Stowers-Smith is preparing for a dream debut for New Zealand in his home city against the Cook Islands at One New Zealand Stadium on Sunday – less than 18 months after breaking into the NRL with the Warriors.

Sporting milestones rarely align so perfectly, but it’s marvellously fitting that the front-row tyro will achieve the ultimate honour less than 10 kilometres from Halswell Domain, where he learned his rugby league craft for 14 years.

Stowers-Smith began playing for Halswell Hornets as a four-year-old and stayed with the club right through to 18s level, when he was scouted by the Warriors. Current Hornets premiers coach Kevin Te Hau coached the Kiwi-to-be all the way through, with his son, future Canterbury Bulls rep Cooper Te Hau, also in the team.

“It’s pretty cool actually, especially since me and my wife, Rachel, have known the family well,” Kevin Te Hau says.

“He’s always been a cheeky little kid off the field, but as soon as it was time to train or gametime he just had that switch and he was probably one of the best trainers as a kid.

“He wasn’t one of those kids that would muck around, he would just get in and do the training and then once training’s done, then he’ll have a bit of fun. He just had that knack of switching to football mode.”

Te Hau also coached Stowers-Smith in Canterbury age-group teams from 10 years old. In another wonderful parallel, Riccarton Knights junior K-Ci Newton-Whare – who will make his second Test appearance for Cook Islands against the Kiwis – captained those rep teams, with Stowers-Smith the vice-captain.

Warriors hooker Makaia Tafua (Linwood Keas) and Cronulla Sharks-contracted prop Felix Faatili (Hornby Panthers) were among the other regulars to come through the Canterbury age-group teams together.

Te Hau says it became apparent Stowers-Smith was destined for rugby league’s heights from his early-teens.  

“He just had that sort of natural leadership, just something about him. The boys would listen to him when he spoke.

“I remember when the Bronco (shuttle-run fitness drill) first came out – everyone was doing the Bronco. He was one of the best kids doing the Bronco. He was just so consistent … and he’d beat the outside backs. He was that far ahead of them.

“His dad told me during this pre-season, he was the fastest forward at the Warriors doing the Bronco.”

Stowers-Smith joined the Warriors in 2023, captaining the club’s SG Ball team and becoming a NSW Cup regular later that year at just 19. His 47 NSW Cup appearances included a grand final and State Championship victory in 2025, by which stage he had earned his NRL spurs.

The rugged, consistent front-rower has already clocked up 34 games for the Warriors at premiership level, averaging 115 metres and 23 tackles this season along with making 41 tackle-breaks in a side that has become a genuine NRL heavyweight.

Stowers-Smith’s impending Kiwis debut takes on extra importance due to his bloodline. Canterbury icon, 1947-49 New Zealand captain and NZRL Legend of League inductee Pat Smith, is Tanner’s great-grandfather.

Those family ties – which also feature his grandfather, former Kiwis triallist Peter Smith – have played an integral role in his rugby league journey.  

“Tanner’s granddad, Pete Smith, after every game, would come on the field and he’d have a big bag of lollies for the boys and shake their hand,” Te Hau recalls.

“He’d tell the kids they’ve got to give a good, firm handshake and look the man in the eye. He did that from under-7s right through to under-18s. Of course, all the boys would still be grabbing lollies out of his bag.

“When the kids were little, they played a curtain-raiser for the premiers grand final – I think it was Halswell against Celebration (in 2014) – and so we played the Celebration under 10s or 11s. After the game, Tanner presented the Pat Smith Trophy to the Halswell captain, which was pretty cool, but back then it was hard to say, ‘Oh, he’s going to kick on and play NRL’.”

But as Tanner Stowers-Smith goes through his pre-match process for his first Test match, sings the New Zealand national anthem and performs the haka, then gets his interchange boarding pass to become Kiwi #845 or #846 (Warriors clubmate Jacob Laban is also set to debut off the bench), no doubt he’ll take a second or two to remember his formative years pulling on the Hornets jersey and those he helped him along the way.  

“It’s real special for me and the family. I messaged his dad on Tuesday when [the Kiwis team] was announced, and he just sort of thanked us for being his coach and manager through those early years with him,” Te Hau says.

“I know when Tanner gets out there and does the haka, he’ll be fizzing ready to go.”