Trask’s task is to fill some sizeable boots
When Aaron Cruden was leading the Chiefs to their Super Rugby titles in
2012 and 2013, a kid by the name of Kaleb Trask, not yet at high school, was dreaming of wearing that same Chiefs No 10 jersey in the future.
Come his 20th birthday on Monday, not many presents trumped the one from coach Warren Gatland, which was the news that the youngster would be making his debut, at first five-eighth ahead of Cruden, for the team’s competition opener against the Blues in Auckland tomorrow night.
‘‘Once I got the notice I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face,’’ Trask said yesterday when the team was publicly released.
‘‘I suppose I didn’t think it’d come this early. But I’m just stoked with the opportunity.’’
Born and bred in the Chiefs region, Trask was a standout at Rotorua Boys’ High School. In 2018 he debuted for Bay of Plenty in the Mitre
10 Cup and featured for New Zealand at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
Last year his provincial season was stunted by a pulled hamstring and a broken jaw, but after the Steamers won the Championship division, Trask landed a fulltime Super contract.
Now, with Cruden being eased back into his one-year cameo after returning from France, Trask is still coming to grips with the fact he’s starting ahead of the 50-test former
All Black, who will play from the bench.
‘‘I wouldn’t say ‘start ahead of him’, he’s just coming back from France, where he’s been injured and hasn’t had much game time,’’ Trask said. ‘‘So it’s just my opportunity to get some game time and show what I have to offer, and his way of easing back into the competition.
‘‘He’s just a phenomenal player and I look up to him.
‘‘He’s just been telling me to go out and play my game and to not worry about too much, just do my job.’’
Gatland echoed those thoughts. He noted Trask and fellow young playmaker Tiaan Falcon had also experienced plenty of time at fullback, but was backing them to learn off Cruden and step up to the quickerthinking demands of first-five.
‘‘We’re putting them under a little bit of pressure in terms of time and decision-making at 10, but then try and take the pressure off them that they go out there and enjoy themselves and play freely,’’ Gatland said.
Sauntering in to his media standup in barefeet, Trask indeed already cut a relaxed figure, though was then quick to quip it was all actually a bit intimidating standing in front of the cameras.
You get the feeling he’ll be more comfortable once the whistle blows tomorrow night.
‘‘I’ve been thinking about it a lot, probably too much, to be fair. But I’m just real excited and can’t wait.’’