Each summer, Michigan Rugby sends one or two select players to New Zealand to train with our partner club, Poneke FC. Jack Regan and Zach Small are there now, and Jack is writing about his experiences abroad each week. This post concerns May 6-18.
Kia ora! My summer adventures in New Zealand began with lots of goodbyes to friends and family, promising them I would come home with many crazy and fun stories to tell. I departed Logan Airport in Boston in the late afternoon and arrived in Houston for a short evening layover. I then boarded my 14-hour flight hoping to get some sleep. To my astonishment, I had the whole row to myself and was able to stretch out and sleep comfortably for most of the flight. After a surprisingly smooth flight, I made it to Auckland where I waited to board my final plane ride of the journey, a quick one-hour flight to Wellington.
After over 24 hours of total travel, I had finally made it to my new home for the summer. I was greeted by Nehe Milner-Skudder, the director of Rugby at Poneke FC, who also happened to be a former All-Black starter on one of the greatest teams of all time, the 2015 World Cup-winning squad. Skudder showed me around the clubhouse and told me about the deep history that the club has, showing me the list of their 19 former All-Blacks, of which 6 had been captains of the team. He then showed me around parts of Wellington and told me about all the cool places to visit. My first day ended with a much-needed sleep at the hostel.
The next two weeks were filled with a mix of rugby, team bonding, sightseeing, and getting living arrangements for the summer squared away. Skudder holds workout training sessions early in the morning from 5-6 am. It’s been tough getting out of bed, but you can’t pass up the opportunity to train with and learn from an All-Black. The sessions are 4 days a week and are filled with a mix of weight training, speed, and agility drills, along with some rugby skill drills. The sessions have been great, and will certainly pay off in the long run. Joining and meeting our teammates has been super fun too. Everyone has been extremely welcoming and has helped with bringing Large and I up to speed with play calls and schemes. The practices are very intense but rewarding, as we run through plays up and down the field to perfection. We even got to appear as guests on one of our teammate’s podcasts, Takunda Mabonga. Takunda talked to Large and I about college in America and what rugby is like compared to New Zealand. It was certainly a fun time. Michigan Rugby has gained another loyal fan. Besides the podcast, we’ve been hanging out with our new teammates after matches on Saturdays, where the guys teach us New Zealand traditions and show us around Wellington.
Our first 2 matches have had mixed results, ending with a win and a loss. They certainly have a very different feel than back home in America. The biggest difference in the games has been the speed. Everyone here is super knowledgeable and knows where to be at all times. The physicality has been the same and hasn’t really been a problem, but it’ll certainly take some time to get used to the game’s overall speed and develop chemistry with our new teammates. I look forward to improving as a player and learning from everyone here.
Besides rugby, Large and I have done a lot of walking around and exploring Wellington. The city is really unique in its feel. Our hostel is located right in the downtown district with tons of restaurants, people, and tall buildings giving it a big city atmosphere. However, a short walk to the outskirts leads you to many different hiking trails that offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Large and I hiked Mt. Victoria, which offered 360-degree views of the city from the top. It was a short hike, only taking about 30 minutes to get to the top. The views were absolutely amazing as we were able to see all of Wellington and the mountains across the bay. There will be lots more hiking in our itinerary going forward. We plan on buying a car for summer so that we can drive around and experience all New Zealand has to offer. Overall, it’s been a fun and challenging two weeks adjusting to our new home on the other side of the world.
