Super Rugby is still about three months away, but the teams are well into beginning their pre-season preparations, and developing their training squads. Even now, prior to Christmas, the teams are working at full pace, as thoughts turn towards the February pre-season games.
Amongst the training squad of the Wellington Hurricanes is Taranaki born Callum Gibbins. Callum was kind enough to take time out of his busy training schedule to have a chat to me today about life in rugby, and life as a Hurricane.
Callum started his career on the fields of “the ‘Naki” before pursuing tertiary study in Palmerston North and bringing his game to Massey University’s Varsity A team. After completing his degree Callum secured a spot as a member of the Manawatu Turbos ITM cup team, which itself is an affiliate team to the Hurricanes.
I asked Callum about his early memories of playing rugby as a kid, and what drew him to rugby as a sport. “I originally started playing, following my older brother into it. Plus my Dad was the coach. So we used to go to a local place called Inglewood, just running around, didn’t really know how to play rugby I suppose but you went to school to get out and play with your mates. That’s where it all really started”
“From there I played for a few High School Representative teams, before I decided to do a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise at Massey University. My degree was three years, in 2009 I made the Manawatu [Turbos] side, and kept getting contracts to play until 2012 when I joined the Hurricanes. I just kind of worked my way up”
Prior to his tenure with the Hurricanes Callum enjoyed many successes within the Turbos ranks, and lists his ITM cup debut in 2009 against Wellington Lions as his most memorable game. “About a week earlier I got called up by [Turbos coach] Dave Rennie and he said ‘Look we need someone to play against Tasman’ and the next day we were flying out to Tasman (The Nelson region at the top of the South Island). I didn’t get to play unfortunately, I did get my strip but ended up on the sidelines taking notes for the manager.”
“Then the following week I got called up again, and we drove to Wellington. I was on the bench, and pretty nervous. I remember Doug Tietjens, the openside, went down in the first five minutes, I was thinking I could have to play a full game, I was pretty nervous but he pulled through. I got the last ten minutes, and I came on, got a few pretty decent runs, things opened up for me. I couldn’t believe my luck, it was great. We lost but it was great just to be out there playing, and to be out in the cake tin [Westpac Stadium] was pretty special”
Callum continued to have many successes with Manawatu, culminating in being awarded the Turbo’s ‘Player’s Player of the Year’ in October 2013 “I suppose as a team we didn’t play as well as we’d have liked, but I felt like I played one of my better seasons that year. Coming out of the Hurricanes environment into the ITM Cup I was a lot more confident, and I felt a lot more comfortable with the things I was doing. I learned a lot, working with guys like Karl Lowe, openside for Hurricanes for many years. It was great having someone like him that I could learn so much from.”
Stepping up to Super Rugby, as part of the wider training squad, I asked Callum about the differences training at the higher level, as compared to the ITM Cup. “It is the next level up, and the resources available to the Hurricanes are a lot more than are there in the ITM cup. ITM cup is developing that way, but the Hurricanes do have the trainers, the heart rate monitors and such. Training is training though, it’s maybe a little more intense, a little more full on, The last few weeks down here have been pretty full on, we’ve been doing a lot of running exercises, so it is a little more intense. But you just get into it and give it as much as you can.”
As much as Callum is in the wider training squad, this doesn’t change the training regimen. All the players train alongside one another, which means the young players get to work alongside seasoned All Blacks like Conrad Smith, Ben Franks, Cory Jane and Victor Vito. This ability to call on the experience of these players serves as a big opportunity for younger players like Callum to develop and grow their own skills. “Your coming into an environment where you’ve got ex All Blacks, guys that have pushed to make the All Blacks and guys that are trying to get there. These guys pick you up, they make you go just that little bit harder. You’re involved the whole year, it doesn’t even feel like you’re in a wider squad to be honest. I’ve done everything everyone else has, we’re basically full time like they are. Everything that’s offered is offered to us as well.”
Part of this is the fact that as part of the wider training squad any player can find themselves selected to the main team, and could well find themselves pulling a Hurricanes Jersey on. Further, selection is now based on merit rather than waiting for injuries, in simple terms if you want it bad enough, you can get it. With that in mind I asked Callum if there was any teams he’d particularly like to face in a Hurricanes jersey. “Uh, I’m not too sure about that, I really just want to get out there and play for the Hurricanes. I grew up in the Hurricanes region – although that’s just changed – but I’ve always been a Hurricanes man, and I’ve always wanted to play for them. I suppose I’d like to get a win over the Crusaders…and maybe those Aussie teams as well”
Given we’d discussed it, I did ask Callum about his thoughts regarding the recently reported move by the Taranaki Rugby club to move their allegiance from Wellington to the Waikato Chiefs, and his thoughts on this move. “I guess I was a little sad about it, growing up in Taranaki all the guys in my age group and I, we all wanted to be Hurricanes. I’m still a Hurricanes man, I always will be.”
Expanding on growing up as a rugby fan and a Hurricanes man, I asked who Callum looked up to as a mentor and role model “I was lucky, a lot of guys in club rugby really took me under their wing, one was Billy Robinson from the Naki, he was a number eight, and really took me under his wing in my first years at Varsity. He did the hard yards, and I thought if I can be like him I’ll be doing well. Another was Josh Bradnock, and openside flanker for Manawatu and the Captain. I watched him closely and thought if I can do a few things that he does well, I think I’d be a pretty good player. Of course when I was younger it was also Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga, who were big role models.”
The Hurricanes are now well into their preparations for their first pre-season game against the Auckland Blues on February 1st in Masterton, then a Valentines day clash against Canterbury in Levin. Somehow I doubt either side will be bringing roses. Before this Callum is off to spend time with his family for Christmas in Taranaki before enjoying the annual Rhythm and Vines festival in Gisborne.
The Hurricanes looks set for another explosive season, and given his work ethic and commitment, I’m going to say now that I’ll expect to see Callum achieving great success in the yellow jersey sooner rather than later. The ‘Canes certainly have the depth of talent to be a real force this season, I’m looking forward to watching how this season plays out.
I’d like to thank Callum Gibbins for taking time out to chat to me today. Keep up to date with everything Hurricanes related at their website and make sure you follow their twitter feed here as well. To quote their Twitter feed: Get Amongst It!
Main Photo Credit: Wellington Hurricanes via Wikimedia Commons
Photo One Credit – Callum Gibbins Headshot: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images/Wellington Hurricanes via Zimbo
Photo Two Credit – Phil Water/Getty Images via Zimbio
