Bridge carves his own path
Crusaders aim to reward fans
George Bridge doesn’t get too nostalgic as he recollects the days when he unloaded furniture off trucks and worked on building sites for a living.
Given he’s only 23 years of age it’s too early to start connecting Bridge with the university-of-life line, yet he still knows something about having to strain the back muscles and get his hands dirty to pay the rent and grocery bills.
In the age of the modern rugby player, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
Stories of promising rugby players being hot-housed in the first XVs, followed by invites into rugby academies or to sign provincial contracts, are getting more prevalent as talent scouts tag and monitor athletes from a young age.
Bridge didn’t have a path cleared into the big time. Although the Crusaders wing possesses the talent to be just one five-pointer shy of equalling Ben Lam’s record of 16 Super Rugby tries, he took a punt to put himself in this position.
A conversation with former Hurricanes loose forward Campbell Feather, who had coached Bridge in the Lindisfarne College first XV in Hawke’s Bay, resulted in the latter stationing himself in Christchurch rather than Dunedin.
‘‘On the last day of school he [Feather] asked me ‘what are you up to next year?’ ’’
Bridge had planned to attend Otago University to study sports science until Feather advised he had been contacted by former All Blacks and Crusaders midfielder Nathan Mauger, who was working as the HSOB club’s rugby development officer.
‘‘Campbell said ‘how do you think your footy is going to go down there [in Dunedin]?’ And that was when he asked if I would like to go to Christchurch and work for a year and give club footy a crack.
‘‘I started off as a furniture mover at Allied Pickfords, and then I was building foundations as part of the Christchurch rebuild for a while. Those were the days.’’
Asked if he missed having to fill his working week with physical labour, Bridge doesn’t surprise with his reply: ‘‘Not at the moment, no,’’ he laughed.
Bridge, who hails from Gisborne, didn’t get any love from age-group selectors and as a consequence making money as a rugby player wasn’t considered a career option.
‘‘I thought the rugby dream was over. Going through high school, I was a bit of a battler.
‘‘Even to move down here when I was 17 years old was a bit of a risk. In the big wide open world, I didn’t have too much.
‘‘I didn’t make any rep teams in Hawke’s Bay or anything, so I came down to Christchurch and just worked for a year and played club footy for High School Old Boys in the Colts team.’’
That led to selection for him representing the Canterbury under-19s, the NZ under-20s team and Canterbury.
Bridge made his Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders last year, scoring 12 tries in 18 appearances. Israel Dagg and Seta Tamanivalu were preferred on the wings when the Crusaders upset the Lions 25-17 in the final in Johannesburg, with Bridge making an appearance as a substitute in the second half.
This season Bridge has made 17 appearances, with a squad-high 1360 minutes. The welcome news for the Crusaders is that his form has not tapered and he enters the final as a potential game breaker.
Getting his name into the Super Rugby database as the top try scorer would surely hold some appeal, although he was reluctant to say he was chasing the record.
Listed at 95kg Bridge accepts he isn’t among the biggest finishers in the competition and rather than attempt to run over defenders, he often leaves his wing to hunt for the ball and provide charges over the advantage line.
‘‘Against the Kiwi teams last year I found it quite hard to get myself involved and what-not. That was a big goal in the derby games, to get my hands on the ball and be involved. I have been pretty happy with the way it has gone this year.
‘‘Even on the field I don’t mind having a wee laugh or whatever; I have learned that over the last couple of years and found what is right for me.
‘‘Some of the forwards get quite worked-up because they have a lot of contact and stuff, but I have got to be switched on and make good decisions and stay clear headed.’’
Conquering the emotions might be the toughest part for the Crusaders tonight.
Ten years is a long time to be starved of a Super Rugby final in your home city, especially for a mighty club like the Crusaders, who prior to this match against the Lions, at AMI Stadium in Christchurch, had already claimed eight titles.
Beating the Lions 25-17 in the final in Johannesburg last year was special, no question.
But this is different.
The Crusaders can finally reward their fans for their loyalty and perseverance by hosting Sanzaar’s showpiece game on their own soil in the Garden City.
Many of those supporters will have been saddened by the demise of Lancaster Park, the historic ground that was ruined in the 2011 earthquakes and was also the scene of the Crusaders’ most recent final in Christchurch in 2008.
Forget, for a moment, that the ‘‘temporary’’ stadium in the suburb of Addington is a basic structure that houses fewer than 20,000 fans. It might be modest – many may be less kind – but for 80 minutes it will in the eye of a rugby hurricane.
Imagine how the Crusaders players will feel when they steam out of their changing shed, and are welcomed into the stadium. Their blood will be fizzing, their minds racing and they will feel invincible.
Ask Crusaders coach Scott Robertson what it means. A foundation player who won four titles and then returned to guide the team to one of its greatest triumphs at Ellis Park last year, he, possibly more than anyone, is dialled in to the local rugby community.
‘‘What I am really proud of is the ability to connect the whole organisation and the people in our community,’’ Robertson said.
‘‘Just as much I love the boys winning, as when you are walking down the street and someone comes up and they tell you who their favourite player is, and how proud they are.
‘‘And you see them in the coffee shop, they are good people and open the door and they are really polite. We can fill people’s hearts up.’’
Robertson is aware of the need to caution players against any reckless acts in this final, especially in the opening minutes when they may struggle to harness their emotions.
As seen last year, when Lions flanker Kwagga Smith was red carded for smashing into David Havili in the air, it takes just one mad act to put your team-mates into a horrible situation.
Referee Angus Gardner has a major role to play in this, along with TMO Shane McDermott. Calm head, great decisions – it’s what everyone wants.
‘‘It’s something that can turn a game, discipline – if it’s little things around the breakdown, or cards or foul play. We are well aware of it,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘The consequences of last year [when Smith got sent off], it is in the forefront of our mind.’’
In recent days the Lions and Crusaders have traded barbs, and Gardner can consider himself notified.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin landed the first jab before leaving South Africa, accusing the officials of being too lenient on the Crusaders’ rushing defensive line and their loosehead prop Joe Moody.
Crusaders assistant forwards coach Jason Ryan defended Moody, and then said the Lions had best worry about tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer, who is the second most penalised prop in the competition.
It’s tasty stuff and just the start. The exchanges between both sets of forwards are expected to be heated come kickoff, and you can set an early alarm on the chances of the Lions pack, with hooker Malcolm Marx at the tail, launching rolling mauls.
Now it’s just a matter of counting down the hours.
‘‘There has been a bit of edge around the team,’’ Crusaders second five-eighth Ryan Crotty said. ‘‘It is a final, you would be a bit worried if there wasn’t. Nerves mean you are ready.’’
‘‘We can fill people’s hearts up.’’
Scott Robertson, Crusaders coach