'I'm not obsessive': Life in France and what's next for Ihaia West
Former Maori All Black Ihaia West would have energetically leapt out of bed in La Rochelle on Saturday morning buoyed by the emphatic news from home that Hawke’s Bay had done it again, successfully defending the Ranfurly Shield for the ninth time in this current reign. The famed Log o’ Wood holds a special place in the 29-year-old’s heart.
West had been part of a Junior All Blacks squad at a South African World Cup but it was the Ranfurly that really accelerated his career into the big time eight years ago. Not since 1969 had the province held the symbol of glory that to this day still means so much in New Zealand rugby.
However, with one swoosh in Dunedin – a dummy, a left-foot step, a startling burst of speed and a crowd-pleasing dive – the famine was over and a then 21-year-old red-headed Maori kid was suddenly the talk of the rugby grapevine from Napier to Invercargill and all points in between.
The success-starved Bay’s glorious reign was just a solitary game as they lost the following week, but they were quick learners and the bird gang’s current run of nine successful defences is the most by any side since their run of twelve during 2014-15, an era when West was double jobbing and making his Super Rugby way with the Blues.
“I loved playing for the Magpies,” said West to RugbyPass following the completion of another day’s training with La Rochelle by the Bay of Biscay. “It’s where I grew up, the team I loved watching. My parents always took me to the games and it was always a team I wanted to be a part of. To play a number of seasons with them, to be part of some special teams that won some trophies, was awesome and it’s a team I hold really close to me.
? Here are the highlights of the Magpies' #RanfurlyShield win over Waikato! Some beautiful tries scored tonight! ?#BAYvWAI #RaketeStones50th #birdgang ? https://t.co/BYELKz9zGe
— Hawke's Bay Magpies (@Magpies_Unoff) October 23, 2021
“There were 40-odd years where we hadn’t won it [the Ranfurly] and to bring it home was an awesome few days, probably too good as we lost it the next week and were just as disappointed as we were happy the week before. But we were lucky enough to win it the year after and hold it a bit longer. The Ranfurly Shield is a special thing for Hawke’s Bay and it is great that it still holds a big part in New Zealand rugby.”
Pandemic restrictions have prevented the La Rochelle-based West from visiting home since he was last there in February 2019 but that distance has only made the heart grow fonder. “Like most people in New Zealand you pick up a rugby ball before you can walk. I started playing when I was five at the Havelock North rugby club, down there on Saturday mornings.
“You weren’t allowed to wear boots so every Saturday morning the grass was freezing, frosted over, and you were running around in your bare feet freezing and asking your mum, ‘Can I put my shoes on?’ But that is where it started for me and I have been in love with it ever since.”
Along the way, there were exotic Maori All Blacks tours to North America and Japan, as well as that incredible 2017 night at a packed Eden Park when he led the Blues in their haka before scoring the winning try to slay the travelling Lions. His Maori culture remains strong. “It’s very important to me,” he enthused.
“We grew up around it. My mother is the principal of an all-Maori girls school so she is very much into all things Maori culture and pushing for a better life for our people. It’s very big in my family and for me as well. Being away from home and being away from it has been tough but every time I get on the phone with mum and dad, it creeps back then. It’s definitely a big part of my life.
“We [West and wife Dannielle] haven’t been home since February 2019. It’s almost three years and it’s tough. Technology makes it a little bit easier but yeah, tough not being able to see family in person,” he said before revisiting some old rugby memories. “Maori All Blacks were another awesome team I always wanted to be a part of. We went to some pretty cool places, experienced different cultures and play some international teams. It was awesome for my development.
“And the Blues, we had a couple of pretty hard years leading up to that Lions game. Tana (Umaga) brought in the haka and to be able to do that and then to win against the Lions was just amazing. I came on in the last 20 or 30 minutes and the Lions were making it tough for us. Then Steven Luatua and Sonny Bill (Williams) did something pretty special. When Sonny has got the ball you just work as hard as your can to get off his shoulder. That was what I did and it worked out well.”
Having generated headlines around the rugby world with that game-clincher, West switched franchises rather than immediately embark on a European adventure at La Rochelle. “I went to the Hurricanes for that one year because we weren’t quite ready to go. It was something different in Wellington, but I wouldn’t change the decision we made (leaving New Zealand in 2018). I have loved my time in France.
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“Growing up in New Zealand you don’t really hear too much (of French rugby) other than the likes of Toulouse or Toulon – we were growing up with the likes of Jonny Wilkinson – and Clermont. The big clubs are what you only really hear of or see on TV back home. I didn’t really know too much about La Rochelle as a club and as a town.
“They came after me before and we had a good chat. My wife and I and my parents talked about it quite a lot and thought we wanted to stay in New Zealand, so I thought that ship had sailed but the next year they were still interested, so it was time to experience a new life, experience the other side of the world and get out of our comfort zone. It was great that La Rochelle were still interested, still believed in me to come over that next season after.
“The city is pretty similar to Napier and Hastings, similar size, has a port, has nice beaches and good weather. But then when you talk about rugby it is crazy, everyone is behind the team and you can see by the massive crowds we get, the stadium is full and it’s just awesome to play in front of that.
“It’s something we don’t really get back home in New Zealand. You don’t get crowds that are cheering the whole 80 minutes and full every week. It’s definitely something that I love being over here in La Rochelle. I probably could be further advanced than where I am (speaking French). I’m a little bit lazy sometimes, but I understand most of what is being said and can hold my own as well at meetings and on the field.”
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How last season finished, though, left West speechless as La Rochelle were beaten in both the Champions Cup and Top 14 finals by Toulouse and his kicking featured heavily in the post-mortem. He hasn’t had much chance to exorcise his demons as a soft tissue injury meant that Sunday night’s clash at home to Toulon was just his second appearance this season (West went on to score 24 of his team’s points – including two tries – in their dominant 39-6 win).
“These are the really frustrating ones. After a week or so you can pretty much do everything but the kicking was no good. That was the main thing. I could run and do all that stuff but it was just the kicking motion that was niggling and holding me back. I have had it before but not this bad. It’s probably about managing my load throughout the week and doing everything I can before and after sessions to make sure I’m putting my body in the best condition possible.
“You have got to embrace it [the pressure of kicking]. One week you can kick all your goals and score a number of points and the next you can miss some and lose and these are the things people pick out. They see that it goes into losing a game, which is 100 per cent right. It was a tough couple of weeks after the finals personally but you have to get back on the horse and trust the work put in.
“I’m not obsessive. I can have a terrible day at training where nothing is working, but I’m able to cut it and go, ‘No, that is enough for the day. I can come back tomorrow and be better’. For me, I just need to be consistent each week with my prep and it will put me in the right headspace for the weekend.”
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La Rochelle endured a weird start to 2021/22, losing four of their first five games with Ronan O’Gara now in full charge after Jono Gibbes left for Clermont. Fortunes have since improved with a pair of successive wins, enough to climb to seventh before this weekend’s round eight clash with Toulon, but it required tough-talking for that improvement to materialise.
“Last year we didn’t lose this many games in a short period so the honest review had to come. Last year we only lost the odd game here and there and didn’t have to look as hard at ourselves as we did after losing four out of five early in this season. Ronan had to be hard and direct with us because we weren’t getting the results.
“He was very strong, very direct with the messages he was giving, the pictures he showed… It’s awesome having him in charge. You have to respect what he has done as a player and also as a coach, he has been around the whole world coaching. He has a lot of good ideas, instils a lot of confidence in you as an individual and as a player, so it’s awesome having him in charge.
“You definitely know he is the boss and it is his way or the highway. He has definitely taken control of the team but last year he was the boss of our attack and how we wanted to play etc, so it’s the same this year but you know he is the top dog now. We have good conversations, not only about rugby but about everything, the journey and life. Being able to talk to someone who has been and done it as a player, been part of big games and won big games, it is awesome to pick his brain whenever I can.”
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For how much longer is open to speculation, though. West was linked at the start of 2021 with a move away at the end of his initial three-year La Rochelle deal but he eventually signed a twelve-month extension taking him through to July 2022. After that, who knows?
“My wife and I love life in France and it is where we want to stay and have a number of more seasons. Whether that is in La Rochelle or elsewhere, we can hopefully have that sorted in the next few months… I just love how close everything is. You can travel. Being in New Zealand you are isolated.
“The closest place is Australia and that is still a three-hour flight whereas here in France, there are places you can go. An hour’s flight and you’re in London or an hour-and-a-half and you’re in Spain, so the travel is awesome. And just the way people are over here is awesome too. It took a bit of getting used to but once you get the gist of how they love aperitifs in the night and things like that, it’s just a good culture to be a part of.”
?? Et on termine avec Ihaia West qui, de retour de blessure, est impatient de retrouver Deflandre et ses supporters… ?? pic.twitter.com/KW3Kiymc5v
— Stade Rochelais (@staderochelais) October 22, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
1 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to commentsInteresting that you pick Amatosero, John. I would agree with your choice. He could well be capped this year at some point. At only 21 years of age, he has a lot of experience at a high level from his time at Clermont. I’m surprised he did not remain there for longer, as last year he was really starting to move, with 14 games, six starts, well up from the previous year, 7 games, only 2 starts. Have liked what is doing with the Waratahs this year. Not an easy situation for any player there, with the poor results.
3 Go to commentsNed me old shinwah, it’s probably not a bad idea to learn how to spell the last names of great All Blacks wingers. (Otherwise we will demean our memories of Grant Bitty, Jonah Lima, Joe Rococo and Doug Howler.)
3 Go to commentsNo longer able to except the excuses offered up for Rob. The red jersey has lost it’s mana and become a joke. I do not wish Mr Penny any wrong but it is time to go. Do the right thing Rob and retire, PLEASE.
31 Go to commentsIt is a travesty that 8/12 teams play in the finals, and that 4 wins out of 14 might be enough to get you there, but every competition has this to some degree. If it was only the top 4 going through, then this season would have been over for 6 of the teams 4 weeks ago. Super Rugby is simply a feeder competition for the All Blacks and Wallabies. There are low stakes and no consequences because so few people care who wins Super Rugby. In football, winning the Champions League is the pinnacle for any player or fan. The fate of national teams in the world cup or Euros is a complete second fiddle to The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundelsliga etc… Same with the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB. Players and fans care deeply about their team winning NBA title, but don’t care at all about USA winning gold at the Olympics. Or more locally with Rugby League, the Hierarchy is probably NRL > State of Origin > International. For some maybe State of Origin is the top. Super Rugby is low consequence and low stakes because no one cares enough about the outcome. Players ultimately want to play for the ABs, not the Hurricanes or Blues. Casual fans aren’t talking about SR selections but everyone has an opinion on Sam Cane or Ian Foster. Super Rugby is a means to an end. The only context it has is how it effects who is selected for the ABs.
6 Go to commentsPlayoffs featuring 4 or 6 teams would mean the other teams playing meaningless games for longer and a further drop of interest in Australia. But yes a 12 team competition with 8 teams making finals is ridiculous.
6 Go to commentsJoe's picks will be more interesting than Razors. The dumping of Dave Rennie for Jones has to be one of the worst exec decisions of all time. Joe and Dave have similar styles and personalities, the players should like that. Predicting some success for Aus this year. Well more than last year!
3 Go to commentsHey Ben, Thanks for your opinion article. As a die hard rugby tragic and loyal supporter of the game can I say your article seems a touch negative so I would like to offer a slightly different spin on it. I am assuming that the sole purpose of the Super Rugby competition is not just to be a training camp for the International teams but an independent event and competition in its own right with sponsors, media companies and teams that need a financial return. Now, from this rugby fans perspective, I am enjoying the last few weeks of the competition and enjoying the fact that most teams can still make the play offs and nobody wants the wooden spoon. Most rugby followers would agree to it being a travesty if the Crusaders or the Waratahs now made it to the final but history tells us it is very unlikely with the importance of home ground advantage. Playing each team once and a four team final would give the competition integrity and a level playing field for all teams but I would be surprised if it could satisfy the financial demands of the TV rights. Maybe a six team finals series might be a possible compromise.
6 Go to commentsAll good choices John, even the Tah players ha ha. Others that might be worth a look would be ; Cale, Tom Lynagh, Uru, Keunzle, Anstee and maybe Rory Scott because we need a backup to McReight and he has improved a lot from last year and Tim Ryan.
3 Go to commentsWe only have 12 teams - and probably should only have 10. If we cut it down to 10, had a single round robin format, and only had semi-finals and a grand final, the final game would be on the first weekend of May. Meanwhile the AFL (similar to the NRL) runs until the last weekend of September and starts almost a full month after Super Rugby. At least the players would get plenty of rest!
6 Go to commentsAs article says re Japanese Final. Todd Blackadder up against his old mentor/ coach at Canterbury and the Crusaders , Robbie Deans. Both legends in this part of the world. Richie Mo’unga, ( another legend), playing brilliantly for Toddy’s team.Great to hear.
1 Go to commentsNo doubt Razor will want to kick the 2024 campaign off with a decisive selection of the top match fit players to insure his selection as the appointed coach has maximum impact. We the supporters and critics will settle for nothing less because historically it is what we have become ingrained and accustomed to. With that in mind and the distinct fall from grace of his beloved crusaders we will expect him to stamp his mark in the same way he left his old post.
9 Go to commentsI would've expected a better turn around in response to the changes within the team and its management. Lacking in my opinion is the skill sets that once was and now seemingly vacant within the squads regular front runners. Furthermore there seems to be no set game plan, the accuracy that once was is no more, the quality off the bench were poor matchups and frankly I feel a lot has to do with the coaching. Never thought i’d be critising the sadas to this degree.
5 Go to commentsAverage AB captain by recent standards. Speaks to the wider issue
9 Go to commentsWholesome lad, but no longer test level. At all
9 Go to commentsThis game was always going to be close, Canada have such a dominant pack and the Black Ferns have come unstuck in that area against teams like France and England in the past.
2 Go to commentsA distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
2 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments