All Black superstar admits to almost quitting the game
SPOTLIGHT: One of the All Blacks’ beloved sons admitted that he was close to quitting the sport before his wife intervened.
In a recent YouTube vlog, former World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea opened up on his personal struggles after his breakthrough year with the All Blacks in 2016.
The former Hurricanes and current Moana Pasifika star said not being selected regularly in 2017 took him to a dark place, to the point he didn’t want to play rugby anymore.
“In 2016, I made the All Blacks, and I can remember in the media and all that, I was like this superstar, I was the guy coming through,” Savea said.
“Being young, you kinda believe that stuff. I didn’t show it on the outside, but yeah.
“And then the following year, that’s when things just went downhill.
“Again, I made the team, but wasn’t really picked to play.
“That was something I just wasn’t used to. To my own fault, I was just stubborn.
“And then in the off-season, I told my wife I wanted to leave New Zealand.
“It almost got to the point where I wanted to just quit rugby. I wasn’t enjoying it anymore.
“What brought me back was a conversation with my wife. She just said ‘Who cares about selection, coaches, players? Just go there and just have fun.’
“And the following season, I just said I was going to train hard, and just love the work I do. I did that, and since 2018, from then until now…”
Savea also admitted that being a 31-year-old, his body doesn’t absorb the contact as it did in his younger playing days, but relies on his mental game to keep delivering quality performances.
“Probably in the last year or two, I’ve noticed little things in training like power and speed.
“I used to be the quickest, but now there are guys who are just freakish coming through.
“But I also try not to think like that, because the moment you start thinking you’re old and slow, it will kind of just happen. And being experienced, I rely on my mental game a lot.”
Watch the full video below…
With additional reporting by @Rugbypass
