Ready for one last push
Kiwis prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves says he’s ready to empty the tank against Great Britain tomorrow.
In his final game of a long season, the prop will do battle with the Lions in the second test of the series at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch; once it’s over Waerea-Hargreaves can at last put his feet up.
Playing for the Roosters means it’s inevitable that Waerea-Hargreaves will be playing finals footy each season.
With the Roosters winning the grand final, the 30-year-old notched up 20 games in the NRL this season and it would have been more but for suspensions.
Even so, he’s played for the Kiwis throughout the year and has been pushing his body hard from February all the way through to this weekend.
‘‘The body is feeling good. It takes a bit of a toll, playing 30-odd games a year,’’ WaereaHargreaves told Stuff ahead of what is expected to be another bruising battle up front tomorrow.
‘‘But for me personally, I’m just riding the wave and enjoying being in camp.
‘‘We’re lucky enough to have good medical staff here to look after us, but for me, I’m truly loving playing with my mates.
‘‘It’s always an honour to be in camp and hopefully we can perform well and get the result we want.’’
There’s plenty on the line this weekend. The Kiwis will want to get a series win to avenge their 2-1 series defeat to England a year ago.
For Great Britain, a win would salvage something from what’s been a dreadful trip down under so far, with a loss to Tonga in Hamilton and defeat in the first test to the Kiwis in Auckland.
‘‘Knowing that it is our last game of the year, we want to go out as winners,’’ Waerea-Hargreaves said.
‘‘We’re trying to create something special here in the Kiwis and for us it’s putting this jersey in a better place. We need to perform as a team and go out as winners this weekend.’’
Once tomorrow’s test is over, Waerea-Hargreaves can start to enjoy a break and he’ll be doing something different this time.
‘‘For the last 10 years I’ve gone away with my wife and kids, but this year I’m just staying at home and enjoying the summer in Sydney,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m going to indulge in my kids and my wife and really enjoy some family time.
‘‘I’m lucky enough to have about eight or nine weeks.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
‘‘I’m having Christmas at mine this year, so I’ll get all my family over from New Zealand. I can’t wait.’’
But don’t think WaereaHargreaves is already thinking about taking his footy boots off and putting his jandals on. He knows how much the Lions will be up for tomorrow’s test.
‘‘They’ll be coming out all guns blazing – it’s down to us to get our preparation right,’’ he said.
‘‘For some, being in Christchurch is a chance to see family, but it’s also about preparing as well as we can, so we give ourselves the best opportunity for a tough clash.
‘‘We know they’re a quality side, a physical side and for us, it’s about bringing the right attitude, the right desire and playing for each other again.’’
‘‘The body is feeling good. It takes a bit of a toll, playing 30-odd games a year.’’