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'I didn't actually sign up': The time Ruben Love was tricked into pursuing rugby
Wellington and Hurricanes star fullback, Ruben Love, has shared the story of how his dad, former Maori All Black Matene Love, tricked him into sticking with rugby during a time he found himself favouring cricket and attempting to drop rugby altogether.
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Love’s sporting talent has seen him rack up an impressive resume already in his young career.
At just 21 years old, he has represented New Zealand in Under-19 cricket and Under-20 rugby, in addition to his breakout Super Rugby season with the Hurricanes and Lions which saw him earn a Maori All Blacks call-up and most recently, a spot in the All Blacks XV squad.
Love spoke to SENZ Afternoons ahead of Saturday night’s NPC final clash where his Wellington side will come up against Canterbury in Christchurch.
“I think it was my fifth form at Palmy (Palmerston North) Boys and I wasn’t too keen on playing rugby,” Love revealed. “I just wasn’t enjoying it.
“I was really having a good time with my cricket and kind of thought that’s the way I wanted to go.
“I didn’t sign up for rugby that year, but I didn’t tell my dad.
“My dad was on the Board of Trustees, and he somehow found out that I didn’t sign up for rugby even though I told him that I did.
“So, one morning I got up and asked him if we could go to the cricket nets and do some training.
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“I got changed, got into my cricket clothes and was chuffed that (we got) to go to the nets.
“As we were driving to the nets, we actually passed where the training field and the nets are and I asked him, ‘Where are we going? This isn’t the cricket nets that we’re going to … I know this road’.
“We ended up at a rugby field where the Under 16s B team was … they were just playing an invitational team from Australia.
“We basically just stopped in the car, and he said, ‘You can either get out and walk home or you can go out there and play’.
“I didn’t actually sign up for rugby, but he just managed to sweet-talk the coach or whatever to let me jump on for a bit.
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“So yeah, (I) jumped on for the Under 16 Bs, got a hiding from some Australian invitational team and unfortunately just had to stick with them for the rest of the year and keep playing rugby.
Love prospered in the Hurricanes setup late last season, with Jordie Barrett vacating the full back position to take his shot at the midfield.
Only three outside backs were selected for the All Blacks XV squad, making Love’s inclusion especially promising for his future in the black jersey.
Reflecting on his dads intervention, Love finds himself grateful, not just for his rugby career but the enjoyment the game has provided him.
“But in hindsight, that was the best thing for me.
“It kept my love for the game going because it wasn’t a social team, but we just had a good crew and yeah, just went hard at the end of that year and the First XV spot opened up the year later.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
30 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
27 Go to comments