Video interview: Richard Kahui talks 2011 - 'I would have been the slowest winger at the World Cup'
Despite Richard Kahui’s career being blighted by injury, the Tokoroa-born midfielder managed to keep his body mostly in check for arguably the most important season of his career – 2011, when New Zealand played host to the Rugby World Cup.
Kahui announced himself on the scene in 2006 after topping the try-scoring charts in Waikato’s Air New Zealand Cup title-winning run. With so much uncertainty around the All Blacks’ centre jersey at the time due to Tana Umaga’s recent retirement, there were even calls that the then-22-year-old could be a surprise pick for the 2007 World Cup in France.
Regardless of what the selectors’ plans may have been for Kahui, injury ruled him out for most of the 2007 season – but that gave the midfielder time to re-focus and set his sights on the New Zealand 13 jersey.
Of course, Kahui wasn’t the only player trying to stake a claim to anchor the All Blacks’ backline.
“For me, Conrad Smith’s been the greatest centre in New Zealand of all time – his durability, his performance-level, everything,” Kahui told RugbyPass in an exclusive interview chronicling his experiences in the lead up to and during 2011.
“I was obviously coming through at the same time [as Smith] and I wanted to be the All Blacks centre.”
As has been the story of Kahui’s career, injuries restricted the proud Waikato-man from ever mounting a sustained challenge against Smith, who probably should have been entrusted the 13 jumper at the failed World Cup in France.
“2008, had a good year, I felt like we were in a position where, at least performance-wise, we were neck-and-neck,” Kahui said. “That was sort of the message that the coaches gave me.”
“2009, had a good Super Rugby, injured in the final, missed the All Blacks. 2010 was sort of similar.
“2011, I thought, if it’s going to happen, it has to happen now. I still wanted to be – and believed I could be – the starting 13.”
By then, Kahui had managed just 11 appearances – a number which could have been triple the size if he had not been plagued by shoulder injuries.
“I was playing so-so sort of Super Rugby, then Wayne Smith said to me they were trying to get Sitiveni [Sivivatu] fit for the June tests,” said Kahui.
“He said ‘all right, I want you to go with Sitiveni to the Mount and do fitness training with Titch and the sevens team.”
Ever wondered what life was like for former @AllBlacks midfielder Richard Kahui, having season after season cut short due to injuries? https://t.co/1zu2zOnuNV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 17, 2019
While doing a small stint with the New Zealand’s sevens side has reinvigorated a few All Blacks’ careers, it almost had the opposite effect on Kahui.
“We go over there and it’s pouring rain and it’s muddy and someone dropped the ball and I went to accelerate to take off and I blew my hammy,” said Kahui. “I’d never done a hammy in my life and I blew my hammy.”
After eyeing up the 2011 season as the one year that he desperately needed to stay injury-free, things weren’t looking good for Kahui, with only five matches left to play on the international calendar before the World Cup kicked off.
“I missed all of the Tri-Nations [as well as a match against Fiji] except one game – and that one game they were naming the World Cup team after,” said Kahui.
“Fortunately enough, I was named to play – but I actually felt lucky to even make the All Blacks. Whereas, before that season started, I genuinely felt like I had a really good opportunity if I played well in those tests that I’d be able to outperform [Smith].
“It didn’t happen – I got injured again and never had the opportunity – but then I think it all worked out well in the end anyway. For those seven games [at the World Cup], Conrad was easily one of the best players on the field. His combination with Ma’a [Nonu], with Dan [Carter] gone, was a real crucial part of that 2011 side.”
Of course, Kahui didn’t end up watching the tournament from the sidelines, the stands or the television set – he played a major role in the All Blacks securing their first World Cup title since the inaugural competition way back in 1987.
Only a select group of men get the chance to don the #AllBlacks' 11 &10 jerseys – fewer still get the chance to wear both.
Jordie Barrett revealed to @TomVinicombe the moment he realised how important the number on your back is when you're playing for NZ.https://t.co/u32WecYgJZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 21, 2020
“The shining light for me was because Conrad was so good in earlier years, I’d played a few more tests on the wing – and that gave me the opportunity to play on the wing [at the World Cup],” Kahui said.
“Fortunately enough, the ball went my way in the first test and from there, I was kind of given the nod ahead of everybody else which, still to this day, blows my mind. I would have been the slowest winger at the World Cup but was given the opportunity and fortunately enough in 2011 it was about high balls and defence. That was something I was particularly good at.”
While speed certainly wasn’t Kahui’s top attribute, he was certainly no slouch on the rugby pitch either and performed superbly on the left wing during the 2011 competition. One of the competition highlights was undoubtedly when the 6-foot-2 utility back crunched Australia’s Quade Cooper in a perfectly timed tackle during the semi-final to help the All Blacks win a turn-over.
Just being fit enough to get on the park was a milestone for Kahui but being able to do it for New Zealand in a home Rugby World Cup was something else altogether – and it was all capped off when the All Blacks secured a narrow victory over France thanks to a kick from Kahui’s close friend, Stephen Donald.
“If I look back at my whole career – and of course I’ve got regrets about things I should’ve done differently and if I hadn’t been injured – at least for those 7 weeks I was fit and I have a great memory of it,” Kahui said.
“And the greatest memory, other than winning, is having my mate run out in a size small t-shirt and coming on during the game and winning Rugby World Cup 2011.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
2 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments