'Full circle' Classic All Blacks fixture will reunite the Blues of yesteryear
It’s been over 10 years since Rudi Wulf last played rugby in New Zealand but the former All Blacks wing will get the opportunity to suit up alongside some of his former teammates when he takes the field in Madrid this weekend.
38-year-old Wulf is just one member of the Classic All Blacks side that will take on the Spanish national side at the Wanda Metropolitano – home of one of the titans of the European footballing world, Atletico Madrid.
Wulf, who is working with the Toulon Under 20s side – having represented the French powerhouse on the playing front for half a decade, never expected he would be back representing the Silver Fern after first departing NZ in 2010.
“It’s funny because things have kind of come full circle for me,” Wulf tells RugbyPass.
“When I first started at North Harbour, my first year, I was playing with guys like Hosea and Rico Gear, and Luke McAlister. It’s funny because I’m playing with them now at the end of my career. Even at the Blues, playing with Luke, Sam Tuitupou, Alby Mathewson, Jerome Kaino. It’s pretty cool to be able to finish up with them as well. I didn’t think I’d be playing with them again (after leaving NZ).”
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Alongside the likes of Kaino, McAlister, Conrad Smith and some of the top New Zealand representatives of yesteryear, Wulf is hopeful that the exhibition match will help grow the game in the Iberian Peninsula, where rugby unsurprisingly takes a backseat to football – but is still making steady progress.
“To be part of a team like this, you’re still proud to pull on the jersey and do the haka,” he says. “You still get the chills.
“Hopefully we can get a good turnout and a few UK supporters making it over for the match. I think the weather is going to be beautiful and it’ll be an awesome festival kind of atmosphere in Madrid.”
Wulf, who finished off his 19-year professional career last season, has unsurprisingly played at some exceptional stadiums over the years. He includes the Stade Velodrome in Marseille (where next weekend’s European finals will take place) and Lyon’s Parc Olympique Lyonnais as two of his most memorable arenas – and both will be used at next year’s Rugby World Cup – but it’s Kings Park Stadium in Durban that really captured Wulf’s imagination.
“The Sharks’ home ground, I’ll always remember when I played there with the Blues,” he says. “The atmosphere was crazy. Just after the game when you walk out, everyone’s just in the carpark having their barbecues and having a drink, telling you can come over and join them for a feed. That was a pretty cool experience.
“I always enjoyed making the trip to South Africa and playing in front of the crowds over there because they love their rugby … I know all the boys enjoyed the tour over there as well.”
Of course, playing at the Wanda Metropolitano, with a capacity of almost 70,000, will be an experience of its own – one few rugby players will be lucky enough to include in their CV, regardless of how many years they’ve been involved in the game.
The first challenge for the Wulf and the Classic All Blacks for the week will be once again adjusting to life with a roommate, an ongoing tradition for touring sides.
Wulf has had his fair share of roommates in his time – including fellow Classic All Black Tuitupou.
“My first year in the Under 21s, Sam Tuitupou was our captain that year and because I was one of the young boys that came from the Under 19s team, they chucked me in to room with him,” Wulf recalls.
“I couldn’t believe it – I was used to watching him on TV with the Blues. I was so nervous; I didn’t know what to say. Just didn’t want to do anything wrong – I was just saying ‘Yep, yep, thank you’.
“That night we were staying in the hotel, I didn’t want to do anything wrong, being one of the young boys, so I thought I would go to bed early to make sure I could get up on time for breakfast and training. I was fast asleep and then Sammy woke me up in the middle of the night – ‘Rudi, Rudi!’ I was shocked, asking if everything was all right. He was like ‘Oh yeah, do you want a pie?’ He had a few on him so I felt like I couldn’t say no. So had a bit of a midnight snack, eating a pie with Sammy Tuitupou. That was one of the highlights for me.”
“I wouldn’t mind rooming with him again,” Wulf adds. “He was a good roomie.”
The second – and considerably larger challenge – for Wulf and his teammates will be adjusting to the demands of playing a rugby match in what could be 30 degrees temperatures against some formidable opposition. While the Classic All Blacks may be a few years out of the professional game, the Spanish side they’ll be facing on Saturday night are fresh off a European Cup campaign and certainly won’t be holding anything back.
“I’m still trying to keep the body in shape, stay fit,” Wulf says. “After trainings with the (Toulon Under 20s) boys, I’ll shoot into the gym and do a session. When you see them training and doing the conditioning games, you want to join in with them sometimes to see how you go but we’ve got a few quick boys in our Under 20s, it’s pretty tough for me to keep up with them now.
“I think we would have asked for rolling subs if it was during the day. Try and get as much water around us as possible. It’d be pretty tough to keep the hydration up when it’s sizzling like that.
“Especially looking at the way the Spanish boys play. From their last couple of games, they like to run it around and aren’t afraid to have a go anywhere on the field. It’ll test us a bit, trying to keep up with their pace and their speed.”
Wulf made his All Blacks debut in 2008 and featured four times in the black jersey while also collectively clocking over a century of caps for North Harbour and the Blues. Upon finishing up in New Zealand, Wulf went on to make over 80 appearances for both Toulon and Lyon.
The Classic All Blacks last took the field against Toulon in 2015 to commemorate the passing of Jerry Collins, with Wulf featuring on the wing.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments