Q Well Richie, what a funny old week. Here’s everyone expecting you to be named the new ABs captain but no word yet. Have you been feeling the weight of expectations?
R The media love to speculate and they are about the only ones who ask. There’s no real feeling of expectation as it is totally out of my control, and I know it’s quite cliché but I’ve just got to focus on the campaign coming, which is obvious for the Crusaders.
Q What’s your star sign? Maybe that will give us a clue to what is in store.
R I’m a Capricorn. Can’t say I’ve looked at it for this year. Actually, can’t say I look at them at all. Although my female flatmate, who is also Capricorn, was reading her horoscope out the other day and I actually listened in, thinking this was me. I got a little worried, when it was explaining what was happening with my love life until I realised it was for females only. Who knows what’s ahead this year apart from rugby, and probably a bit more rugby, all going well. Boring I know.
Q I couldn’t possibly comment. But captaincy or not, surely this is your year to topple Dan Carter as NZ’s most eligible bachelor, especially now that he has sloped off into coupledom. Have you fielded any underwear advertisement offers yet?
R You think so? Dunno about that. I don’t think I’ve done enough work on the abs over the summer to be picking up underwear offers. Although Dan did say it’s amazing what they can do with the airbrush and computers these days. Not sure if that means his were airbrushed or not.
Q Surely not! So, when the job of ABs captain comes up, is there a job interview? I haven’t seen it advertised in the Situations Vacant. What would you stick on your CV? And what would you wear to the job interview? Is it better to be metrosexual or retrosexual?
R I guess when Tana announced his retirement earlier this week that was the ad for situation vacant. Not sure what you put on your CV –perhaps School Cert English is needed so you can read the move sheet and game plan. As to non-rugby stuff, don’t know if the fact I can fly planes would do me any good. I reckon since nearly half of the team and the head coach is from Auckland that probably the metrosexual look would be best. When you look at some of the styles of those guys it would count against quite a few of us from the South Island if we turned up like normal.
Q Tana’s dreads are gone, alas. Do you think you might get a new hairstyle this year to compensate?
R I don’t think there is much can be done with this hairstyle. Hopefully there isn’t any need for any image changes this year –I’ll try and keep out of the newspapers and magazines for things other than rugby this year.
Q I imagine there are physical dangers in being a rugby star. Underwear thrown at you, adoring fans begins you to autograph their chests… and then there are the female fans, too. How do you cope?
R Actually, just making sure you follow along behind Dan Carter means he takes all the heat and then the rest of us can slip past. There certainly are some interesting things that you are asked to sign but it’s not all bad. Might be a bit concerned if blokes started asking for those type of things.
Q What is the way to an All Black’s heart –through his stomach, his head or something else? Do you have to know anything about rugby or would an expert analysis of, say, Brad and Angelina’s relationship interest you?
R Hell that is an interesting question. I don’t really know. I do know it’s certainly not a rundown of how the ABs or the Crusaders can improve their games, and to be honest an in-depth knowledge of Brad and Angelina doesn’t really do it for me either –just tells me they like reading those gossip mags.
Q Incidentally, are you an Angelina or a Jennifer man? Answer carefully –this could make or break you with NZ’s women?
R Hmmm, big call, but I have a feeling on my Internet profile where it says who would be four people you would invite to dinner, both those girls featured so perhaps I’d decide after that. How’s that for sitting on the fence?
Q Delightfully painful, I imagine. On to more serious topics, if the ABs were abducted by aliens, would you rather be a) captain of the All Whites, b) captain of the Silver Ferns, or c) captain of the Wallabies?
R Captain of the All Whites. I don’t know why I picked them. Perhaps it would help my skills when it came to playing soccer with the rugby team as I have little or no skills with the round ball.
Q There couldn’t be a more macho, testosterone-fuelled dream job than being an AB. How do you express your soft side?
R That’s true, although as with most rugby players I am quite different on the rugby field compared with when I am off it. I guess what I am saying is that just because I play rugby and try and bash people around on the field, off I’d like to think I’m no different to any other bloke in this country. Don’t really know how I express a softer side but I’m sure I do somehow. Might pay to ask someone else that question. Haha.
Article sent by Izzy, our local spy
Date uncertain (early 2006)
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