New Zealand rugby league legend Ruben Wiki is selling his family house in South Auckland after eight years.
Wiki, whose career in rugby league spanned nearly 30 years, after starting with the Canberra Raiders in 1993, told OneRoof he and his wife Santa bought the five-bedroom house in Castlederg Drive, Flat Bush, eight years ago to accommodate their extended family.
“Santa’s parents moved in with us, so we decided we needed a bit more room. Having them live with us has made some great memories, the kids have had first dibs on their grandparents.
“They are the elders, my father-in-law was born in the Cook Islands, my mother-in-law in Kaiaua, near Miranda. They have great stories of their upbringing.”
Start your property search
But now both their kids have left home – daughter Mackenzie, who represents the Cook Islands in rugby league is playing for Wiki’s old club, the Canberra Raiders NRLW team, while son Denzel has moved out with his partner.
Read more:
- Grand Designs’ earthquake villa snapped up for $3.6m
- Home loan warning: Could tradies be shut out of the market by DTIs?
- No reserve auction: Could someone pick up this Auckland house for free?
“It’s time to do the downsizing, and stress less,” Wiki told OneRoof, joking that a place with less carpet to vacuum would be a bonus for the busy couple, whose day starts well before 6am running their family gym in Otara, Wiki Workz.
"We’ve had some great memories here, my mother-in-law’s last birthday [before she died] was really special. The kids have grown up here,” he said.
He said the two-storey house worked extremely well for the extended family, as Santa’s parents had their own self-contained area downstairs with a bathroom and a kitchenette and sitting room opening to the deck, while the younger generation had their space upstairs with four bedrooms and two more bathrooms. Best of all was the huge family television room, which currently sports framed memorabilia from Wiki’s time in the sport, with Canberra Raiders, the Warriors and more. But he laughed that daughter Mackenzie’s collection of jerseys was starting to take over.
Ruben Wiki, shown here in a 2017 Auckland Nines match between the Warriors and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, played 55 test matches for New Zealand rugby league, and was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Photo / Getty Images
The open-plan kitchen and dining room was where everyone came together. Wiki admitted there were more than a few dinners and outdoor parties with best mate and former Warriors player Logan Swann, as well as with family and friends.
“It’s so nice out the back of the house, with the deck, we always hosted Christmas here. But now it’s time for something smaller for just me and Santa and her father, we can get some time back in our lives,” he said.
As well as his professional roles, Wiki has also taken on mentoring roles as an ambassador for the Warriors Community Fund and through the couple’s Wiki Workz gym, run free programmes for high school kids that includes group fitness, nutrition workshops and team-building.
“It’s a safe space, it’s giving kids an option for when they leave school,” he said. More importantly, Wiki Workz helps the kids develop rangatiratanga (leadership) skills, form new friendships and achieve their goals, he said. Wiki also stepped in to do some coaching at his old club, Otahuhu, when son Denzel was playing there.
The five-bedroom home in Castlederg Drive, Flat Bush, was designed for extended family living, with a granny flat for Wiki’s in-laws. Photo / Supplied
The family television room houses some of Wiki’s extensive memorabilia from his time with the Canberra Raiders, Warriors and more. Photo / Supplied
“I was there from when I was 13 to 19 before I went on to bigger things.
“I was blessed at the start of my career to have wise people who made sure I was smart with my money, to invest in property. Santa is the reason for my success, she is the heart of the family, making sure the house was good and the kids got to school while I was the provider.
“It’s like learning a trade, my pathway was through league. But you get good people around you,” he said.
Wiki retired in 2006, after playing 55 test matches – still with the highest ever number of caps – but reappeared on our screens last year as one of the coaches in the TV series Match Fit: League Legends.
He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 and was inducted into New Zealand’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
And after a stint as high performance assistant with the Warriors, Wiki is now high performance manager for New Zealand Rugby League.
The covered deck was the scene of many big gatherings with family and friends. Photo / Supplied
The designer kitchen opens to the dining and living room. Photo / Supplied
“He’s the legend,” said Ray White agent Bob Lemalu, who is marketing the property with Ngarina Wong and bringing it to auction on March 21.
OneRoof records show Wiki bought the five-bedroom house eight years ago for $1.33 million. It now has a CV of $1.65m, but Lemalu said similar houses in the area were generally selling for below CV at the moment.
“There is a big demand for these multi-generational homes in Flat Bush, as lots of the Asian and Indian families look for bigger homes with a nice set up for the grandparents on the ground floor,” he said, adding that the home was in zone for Mission Heights Junior College, Ormiston Junior and Senior Colleges, Chapel Downs School and Sancta Maria College.
“Ruben and Santa are ready to move on, this house will definitely sell,” he said.
- 60 Castlederg Drive, Flat Bush, goes to auction March 21
