LOSING two of my brothers when I was just eight and 10 years old had a huge impact on my life. One was killed when he was knocked off his bike and the other died in front of me from a heart condition that no-one knew about. To stand out in a family of boys just five years apart was difficult anyway but when they passed away, there was this pressure that you put on yourself to perform because you wanted to try and make up for your parents’ loss and make them happy.
For me and most boys in New Zealand at that time, it was all about rugby and I was given all the support I needed to make the most of my ability, and I was picked for the Wellington U21s whilst I was still at school, which was very unusual, by Andy Leslie, captain of the ’76 All Blacks team that went to South Africa. My first memories of rugby were getting up early to watch that tour.
I had my first senior game for Wellington before I’d played a game for my club, Petone. Steve Pokere, the former All Black centre, was a Mormon so he didn’t play on Sundays because of his religious beliefs and, as most of the games in the Top 6 competition were played on a Sunday, I got an opportunity. We regularly got smashed by 40-odd points. But I got to play alongside greats like John Gallagher and John Schuster, which was a hell of an honour.
Having toured Australia with New Zealand U21s, I was picked on the bench for the 1990 Bledisloe Cup series, aged just 18, and was also in the squad for the tour to France later that year. Mentally I wasn’t ready. Grant Fox got a hamstring niggle before the first game, against a Provence/Cote D’Azur Invitation XV in Toulon, and I came in and had a shocker. Everything happened extremely quickly and that was the start of the downfall for me with New Zealand rugby and the challenges I had to front up to with myself later in life.
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Denne historien er fra April 30, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
