Page 17 - Blues v The Lions

PROFILE
“The rugby will be intense but the the country will embrace the the the Lions and they’ll make it unforgettable ”
“Some of them will will be be supporting New Zealand and and some will will be be supporting the Lions Lions I I think I’m going to to to have to to to get some some Lions Lions jerseys and give them them to to to to some some of my my relations to to win them them over It’ll be be great for my my mum and dad because they made a a a a a a a a couple of trips from New Zealand to to Dublin to to watch me me play for Ireland but each time just after they they booked the the the holiday I got injured and they they didn’t get to see me play ”
The high point of of Payne’s time with Ireland was of of course the the epic win over the the All Blacks in in New Zealand a a a a a a a a a day he he describes as “surreal” and and and “awesome ”
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Ireland had been trying to beat New Zealand since 1905 but it had never happened They got one draw in in in all that time There was the agonising near-miss in in in in in Dublin in in in in 2013 on on top of that a a a a a a a a game Payne attended “I was walking around the eld in in in Chicago after that match and I I almost had to to pinch myself to to make sure it wasn’t a a a a a a a a a dream ”
he he says “To be be playing in in the team that nally beat New Zealand was an an an an an honour I I got the history and and signi cance I I really did You can’t not understand it when you talk
to to so many people in Ireland about what it would be be like to to beat the the All Blacks and then afterwards what it it was was actually like to do it it it It was was immense ”
Immense – it’s a a a good word to to describe Payne’s odyssey in his adopted land more game-time and and so I went to Northland which was a a a a a a a bit of a a a a a a a gamble but it it turned out to be be one of of the best moves I ever made “Whangarei is one of my favourite places in the the whole country The climate the the people – it was just a a a a a a a brilliant time for me me I went on to captain the team Northland is very important in in my story because had I not done well there then that would probably have been my career over I had great coaches in Mark Anscombe Bryce Woodward and Bruce Robertson I was fortunate to work with those guys ”
Payne made his Super Rugby debut with the the Crusaders in in in 2009 but but when he he he he joined the the Blues in in in in 2011 things really began to take off
“The Blues came knocking and and I went for it and and that was another great move because we had a a a a a a a a a pretty good year under Pat Lam We made it to the semi nal and unfortunately got tipped over by the Reds But it was great learning from players like Joe Rokocoko and and Isaia Toeava and and playing with the likes of Rene Ranger who I lived with for for a a a a a a year And the forward pack was incredible – Keven Mealamu Ali Williams Daniel Braid Jerome Kaino ”
Payne keeps a a a a a a very close eye on Super Rugby particularly the the progress of the the the New Zealand sides He describes the the Lions tour as not just three Test matches but a a a a lot more than that “It seems like every game is going to be be a a a a a a a Test match because there’s fantastic quality on both sides The Blues game will be be a a a a a a a a great occasion because the Auckland people will will be be be out in force and and they will will be be be very very very very passionate Members of my family will be be there My brother still lives in Auckland and and and and my mum and and and and dad aren’t far away and and and and and I have aunties and and uncles dotted about the place 1 JARED BENJAMIN PAYNE is born in Tauranga in Bay of Plenty 2 2 Plays for New Zealand Under 21
in in 2006 with All Blacks Captain
Kieran Read 3 Makes his debut for Waikato in 2006 with Warren Gatland as Coach 4 Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs against the Lions in in March 2007 5 Moves to Northland in 2008 Captain
in in 2009 10 STEPS: FROM NEW NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND TO NEW NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND 6 Turns out for the Crusaders in 2009 then joins the the Blues in in 2011 7 Moves to Ireland and and Ulster in 2011 and and wins rst of 20 Ireland caps against South Africa in 2014 8 Scores rst Test try against Scotland in in 2015 Ireland win Six Nations title 9 Plays fullback in in historic win over South Africa and then centre in victory over All Blacks that same year 2016 10 Selected for the British & Irish Lions to to to tour New Zealand by former Waikato Coach Warren Gatland DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 17 17 GETTY IMAGES