Ronald Raymaakers rejoins Counties Manukau Steelers

Ronald Raaymakers, the abrasive and uncompromising Waiuku lock/loose forward, will don the Steelers jersey again. The 27-year-old dairy farmer from Waiuku re-signed with the Steelers last month and hopes to reignite a career that was cruelly stalled by a serious shoulder injury suffered in a national provincial championship match against Wellington in September 2014.

The New Zealand under-17 and under-20s has played 51 games for the Steelers and spent a season with the Blues in 2013.

Raaymakers is one of four signings the Steelers have made in recent weeks. Two of them, Tim Nanai-Williams and Baden Kerr, are former team mates who played in the historic Ranfurly Shield win under Tana Umaga in 2013.

The other notable signing was that of All Blacks captain Kieran Read who grew up in Papakura and played his junior rugby for Drury.