All Blacks share quake stories

http://tvnz.co.nz//all-blacks/share-quake-stories-3761277?ref=emailfriend
Monday September 06, 2010
Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB

Fresh from the earthquake zone, the Canterbury-based All Blacks admitted they were still shaken as they landed in Sydney for the Test against Wales.
Brad Thorn told ONE News the experience was very scary.

"I was out of my bed in world-record time. I was just trying to make my way to the children, it was the first thing I tried to do.
"It was dead set like being on a boat in bad weather, that's how I felt, I couldn't get to the room," he said.

But the rugby hard man admits the rest of his family coped better, as his two children slept right through the magnitude 7.1 quake.
Thorn says it was hard to leave his family but he was relieved they had water and power back on and expected his wife would cope well.

"We have great neighbours, everyone is looking out for everyone down in Christchurch. My wife kind of enjoyed the experience, she's different to me, I was pretty darn scared but she found it quite interesting."

Long-time Cantabrian, All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith, says the team felt odd leaving the city to go to Australia..

"I just had visions of everything crumbling around us and ending up underneath it all. It was terrifying for a short amount of time," he said.
"You just have to be thankful it happened at 4.30 in the morning. You wonder what damage would have been done to people had it been another time, so I think there is a lot of thankfulness about that."

Thorn admitted the players were feeling "a bit jumpy" and turbulence on the flight was unwelcome.

Captain Richie McCaw missed the quake, as he was in Auckland expecting to attend a senior players' meeting. It had to be cancelled after news of the quake broke.
McCaw said his own Canterbury home was apparently okay but his parents' home had suffered considerable damage.
"Mum and dad were pretty much near Darfield. They said a fair bit of stuff inside got smashed up," he told ONE News.

Number eight Kieran Read says he and his pregnant wife, Bridget, cowered under a doorway.
Read says despite his wife being six months pregnant, Bridget sprang out of bed like a cat.
Assistant All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has major problems with his rural home at Tai Tapu, and has stayed behind to coordinate repairs.
Head coach Graham Henry says the All Blacks would like to pass a message of support to the people of Canterbury.

Video : All Blacks arrive in Sydney
http://tvnz.co.nz/all-blacks/share-quake-stories-3761277/video