Guildford: I was going crazy
and my family.
‘‘But then at the same time I was hurting, I was in pain because I’d lost my dad. I was doing whatever I could to escape, whether that be rugby, whether that be drinking alcohol.
‘‘So my life was catastrophic
. . . everyone thought I was living the dream in being an All Black, but in my head I was going crazy.’’
Guildford said he ‘‘wasn’t ready’’ for his first French rugby experience with Clermont when he was 24, but soon found himself in a career spiral.
‘‘When I lost my contract at the Waratahs, after Clermont, I was still doing the same dumb stuff, the same old Zac. Then I went home back to Napier, no contract, no money, and I woke up in my friend’s garage one morning after a big night and [thought] I want to change.
‘‘That’s when I decided to go play amateur rugby in New Zealand in the town I was born in Wairarapa Bush. That was a changing point in my life.’’
After his stint with Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship in 2016, Guildford was offered a chance to play sevens that summer for Waikato by the team’s coach, former All Black and New Zealand sevens wing Roger Randle.
Guildford then moved to Hamilton in November with nothing set in stone. He had no job and no contract when first leaving for Waikato.
In 2017, he started playing in Waikato’s club competition for Hamilton Old Boys, who won that season’s competition with Guildford mainly used at fullback during their campaign.
The Hamilton club also helped Guildford find employment and he was working full-time for sportswear manufacturer Kukri.
New Zealand Rugby initially said they weren’t ready to welcome Guildford back but he was given another chance and signed for Waikato’s 2017 Mitre 10 Cup team.
He was heavily involved in the first half of Waikato’s campaign, which ended in relegation to the Premiership, but a hamstring injury suffered mid-season effectively ended his playing time for the Mooloos.
No Super Rugby team offered Guildford a contract for 2018 and it was announced in March that he was returning to France after agreeing to sign for Nevers.
Guildford’s last outing before leaving for France was in the national sevens tournament earlier this year and he captained Waikato to the title in Rotorua.