Former All Blacks hooker Hika Elliot is set to reclaim one of his most valued possessions after a difficult start. After returning from France earlier this year, he discovered his storage unit in Hawke’s Bay had been broken into and about twelve of his cherished jerseys were stolen. These included jerseys from the Māori All Blacks, New Zealand under 21s, and various international teams, as well as his 2005 NPC final-winning jersey from Hawke’s Bay.
The loss was particularly painful for Elliot, who expressed his feelings of disappointment over the sentimental nature of the jerseys: “The memories that I have wearing those jerseys… it’s a little upsetting.”
Elliot began a quest to track down his stolen jerseys, leveraging social media and reaching out to collectors. He discovered that one of the jerseys, which he wore while playing for the New Zealand under 16s two decades ago, was being sold on Facebook Marketplace. However, the seller went silent, putting a damper on his efforts.
A glimmer of hope emerged when Dylan Booth, a New Zealand collector now living on Australia’s Gold Coast, became involved. Booth, who runs an Instagram dedicated to vintage rugby collectibles, initially recognized the jersey and attempted to assist Elliot in recovering it.
Luck struck when Booth decided to visit a vintage market and unexpectedly found the very jersey he had been searching for. He purchased it for $120, feeling it was a worthwhile investment to return the jersey to its rightful owner. Booth shared his delight in recovering such an important piece of rugby history, acknowledging the significance of the jersey and the stories it carries.
Elliot expressed immense gratitude, stating that learning of the jersey’s recovery felt like an early Christmas gift. He hopes that this fortunate turn of events will lead to the recovery of his other stolen jerseys and looks forward to sharing these pieces of his history with his family, especially his son.
This story serves as a reminder of the importance of community support and the strength of connections among rugby enthusiasts. There’s a sense of hope as both Elliot and Booth continue their efforts to locate the remaining stolen jerseys, showing the power of determination and friendship in overcoming adversity.
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