Curtis Spends the Morning with the Blues and All Blacks
Features
I finally had a chance to meet with some of the top rugby players in all of New Zealand. While many other sports are popular such as cricket, softball and netball, rugby is without a doubt the sport that gets this nation going.
In the morning, we rode over to meet with the Blues, which is one of the top pro teams in the country. Some members of the Blues also play for the famed All Blacks, which has gained a worldwide following.
First thing we did when I arrived was speak to the entire team, and it was fun to do a Q&A with them. I think that is both beneficial to myself as well as them to see that we are all professional athletes, meaning our training methods and passions for competing and winning are the same. We shared a lot of stories and then I was given a tour of the facilities.
I was then honored to be presented with both Blues and All Blacks jerseys from the Prime Minister, the Blues CEO, coach and captain. The All Blacks jersey in New Zealand is the equivalent of the Yankees jersey in the U.S. Children grow up dreaming of playing for the All Blacks.
Following the presentations, I then had a chance to sit in on the team’s workout. I watched some players using a hand bike like I’ve never seen it pushed before. Usually pitchers get on one and just kind of loosely use it to warm up their arms. These guys were going really hard and fast-paced on it.
I then moved over to the field and watched rugby for the first time. I was impressed with the speed and athleticism of the players. The first thing I wondered is if the NFL ever looks at some of these guys for positions such as fullback or linebacker. A lot of the same skills are utilized.
Finally, I flew to Queenstown, where the vacation portion of this trip begins. I look forward to shooting some videos of the adventures we have planned for you guys!
Great video from your meeting with the Blues, glad you had the opportunity to share in the great sport of rugby.
By the way… rugby is also the fastest growing sport in America. Over 350,000 kids were introduced to it in 2010. Our national team will also be at the World Cup in New Zealand and our Olympic rugby team is in the Top 10 in the world. They will be playing live on NBC February 12-13 from the Las Vegas leg of the IRB World Series.