Today, after a tough morning of training with the boys, Aidan sat down with me for an interview about all things Queensland. We had an awesome conversation. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed having it!My experience at Ballymore's been really awesome. The new facilities are world-class - like nothing that I've ever had before, and the players and the coaches are just so welcoming. It’s a really cool environment to come and be a part of.
Congrats to you and the whole team, for the win last week, over the Brumbies! What do you feel like the team will need to do to beat the Waratahs in Narrabri on Saturday?
The team will need to back up another good performance from last Sunday.
One of the hardest things in sport is having a really good performance and then doing it again the following week, so that's the challenge for us. Also, just sticking to what we're really good at, having a strong scrum and a strong maul, really set-piece orientated and the backs showing their skills out wide.
What do you love most about living in Queensland?
Queensland’s an awesome place and to bring the family over here and experience a different city's been real eye-opening - for the better.
I’ve been living in Hamilton for the last 10 years and my family and I really enjoyed that place, but it was time for a change up and just to see how such a big city runs so easily, with the public transport system and all the parks, the kids love the vibrant culture, there are a lot of family-orientated activities going on in this city. It's really awesome to come and experience it.
I’d love to hear about your experience during the British & Irish Lions tour. What was it like for you, playing for the Reds against the Lions, and also, being in the Wallabies squad, towards the end of the tour?
Coming over and playing my first game for the Reds against the British and Irish Lions was, you know, really spectacular. I had a chance to play against the Lions eight years ago in New Zealand for a couple of sides [the Chiefs and the Barbarians], and then to do it again this year, it was just so awesome to see a country, many countries, to be fair, get behind such an incredible tour.
How many supporters there were, the quality of the Lions team, the packed-out stadiums, it's just something that if you get the opportunity to play against, you certainly want to try and do it and then to join the Wallabies in the squad at the end was awesome too - to get welcomed into that group and get alongside such awesome staff and players, it was really special for myself.
Can you tell us about your rugby journey growing up and what first got you hooked on the game?
Yes, obviously, I was born in Australia and I lived here ’til I was about eight years old, although my Mum and Dad were born in New Zealand. I never played the game while in Australia, but when they took us back to New Zealand, I started playing rugby then, just because everybody does it in New Zealand, you play footy.
It was more just a thing that I did with my mates, and I didn't take it too seriously. I certainly wasn't the best at it, we just enjoyed the game.
And then, I played for my club, played for my school. Once I got to the end of my school journey, when I could see a genuine pathway there, through the rep system and the age group systems, from there, it kind of cracked on. I made the New Zealand under 20s and then Bay of Plenty in the NPC and then after a couple of years of NPC, I got my first Chiefs contract. I was there for 10 years and now here I am here at Ballymore.
Who were your biggest influences or mentors early in your career?
When I was growing up, one of my first rugby coaches at under nines or tens, was Bull Allen, also known as Mark Allen, I played along with his son. And obviously, with him being a former prop, I really got alongside him growing up, and he helped me a lot along the way. Then, as I got into high school and my early stages of rep footy, I really looked up to Sammy [Sam] Cane, with him also being from Bay of Plenty and a Chiefs legend. So definitely those two blokes.
What future goals do you have for yourself? Both inside, and outside of rugby?
Coming to the Reds, just leaving as big a mark as I can on the club… whatever success that looks like, you know, ideally, we want to win a championship here. That's definitely a thing that I want to be involved in.
And outside of rugby, I’ve moved my family over here, I’ve got a two year-old boy and another one on the way, I want to bring them up really healthily, get them get them into schooling and give them, I guess, the best childhood possible.
What do you like to do away from rugby to relax and recharge?
I love taking the boy down to the park, grabbing a coffee and just seeing him have so much fun and enjoyment. He's getting to a good age now where he's starting to climb up and over the playgrounds. I love going on new adventures with him, exploring all the different parks in Brisbane. So days off, that’s pretty much what I'm into at the moment.
What advice would you give to young rugby players that want to play professionally?
Make sure you really enjoy it because if you don't enjoy it, it's not going to be much fun along the way because it gets bloody tough and hard at times. So if you're enjoying it, you'll want to just stick at it, no matter what crossroads you you come to along your career.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
No, I don’t. Actually, I do wear the same pair of jockeys. They're a nice blue pair - I’ve worn those my whole career. But apart from that, I don't really.
Yeah, nothing really phases me if something's different on game day. I do like a nap on game day…. But yeah, I'm pretty cruisy kind of guy, I’m not too high-maintenance.
What’s your favourite post-game feed?
Um, burgers. I’ve just discovered Betty's burgers here in Brisbane - they’re so good. Anything with a bun on either side of it.
Thanks Aidan for taking time out for an interview. All the best against the Tah’s on Saturday, I’ll be watching and cheering you on!
Awesome, mate! Thanks for interviewing me - I’m looking forward to seeing you around here more.
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