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Getting to know: New Zealand U20s lock Liam Jack
By Liam Heagney
When it comes to good genes in the New Zealand team at the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa, look no further than second row Liam Jack. Graham Jack, the lanky lock’s father, was a 1998 Super Rugby champion playing in the Crusaders engine room.
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Meanwhile, uncle Chris Jack was a 67-cap All Black in the same position, as well as a multi-title winner for the Christchurch-based franchise before finishing up his career with two seasons at Saracens following his country’s 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final elimination.
The Baby Blacks’ class of 2024 arrived in Cape Town having recently won the inaugural age-grade Rugby Championship that was held on the Australian Gold Coast with a view to having their teams battle-hardened to better challenge their Six Nations rivals.
Just one southern hemisphere team – South Africa – reached the semi-finals last year along with France, Ireland and England, and that three-one split has been repeated this year, the only change being New Zealand replacing the Junior Boks in the last four.
New Zealand, who face France in Sunday’s semi-finals, dramatically defeated the French 27-26 in a July 4 pool match in Stellenbosch and ahead of their rematch at the Stormers’ iconic stadium in Cape Town, Jack has tacked the RugbyPass Getting to Know Q&A.
Amongst his replies were Sam Whitelock, Zach Bryan and Eben Etzebeth. Read on to learn why:
THE BASICS
Born: August 22, 2004;
Joined New Zealand age-grade: Schools when I was 18, against Fiji in ’22;
Club: Canterbury, Crusaders academy;
Height: 6ft 6;
Weight: 110kgs;
Position: Lock;
Boots: Adidas RS15;
Gumshield: Just the white normal ones, the branded one that everyone has to wear;
Headgear: No;
School: Christ College.
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RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)
Pace: 75;
Passing: 75;
Tackling: 90.
THE PAST
My favourite New Zealand player of all time is… Sam Whitelock;
Favourite try I have ever scored is… Rolling maul for Lincoln Rams;
A rugby memory that makes me smile is… Winning the Super Rugby U20s with the Crusaders this year;
The moment I realised I could make it is… Probably last year at school for Christ College. Good team, played a couple of good games, ended up making the New Zealand schools;
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One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is… I would say don’t judge yourself, just do whatever you have to do;
My best subject in school was… Probably maths;
First player that made me fall in love with rugby was… Probably Sam Whitelock;
Growing up, my position was… Lock but tried a bit at No8. No8 came first, then got a bit taller;
The coach who has most impacted my game is… Probably my dad. He coached me as a kid, Graham Jack, when I first started U13s.
Tuivailala gets @NZRugby right back into the match early in the second half ?#WorldRugbyU20s | #FRAvNZL pic.twitter.com/ruesGo5uG6
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 4, 2024
THE PRESENT
My best attributes on the field are… I work hard, win the set-piece, clean rucks;
One thing I’m doing to improve my education is… I’m doing a bachelor of architecture at Canterbury Ara;
My favourite current New Zealand player is… Probably Scott Barrett;
My hardest working teammate is… Probably Johnny Lee;
My most skilful teammate is… Probably Xavi Taele;
My favourite training drill is… Probably just lineouts;
My favourite music artist is… Probably Zach Bryan.
HERO IN WHITE: Rico Simpson on that last-gasp, TMO-reviewed penalty kick that gave New Zealand their 27-26 win over defending champions France, from Liam Heagney ?? in Stellenbosch. #WorldRugbyU20s #FRAvNZR #BabyBlacks #rugby pic.twitter.com/9nGUTf06XG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 4, 2024
THE FUTURE
A player who could go all the way is… Probably Xavi Taele;
If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with… Probably Scott Barrett;
I will be happy with my career if I… Try my best the whole way through and gave everything I had;
One thing I want to add to my game is… Probably more size and power;
If I could play in any other country, I would play in… Probably France or Japan;
One person I want to meet is… Richie McCaw. Oh, I have met him actually. Eben Etzebeth would be interesting;
One trophy I would love to win is… The U20s World Cup.
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