Austin Dacanay and Justin Coveney
Does a girl you date have to know the sport?
Justin: You take a girl on her merits. I’ve got a girlfriend, but if I didn’t, just because she’s not a fan doesn’t close her off to me.
Austin: I would say no, it doesn’t really matter, ‘cause mywife wasn’t a fan before and she still isn’t a fan, but she’s still really cute.
Was your girlfriend familiar with the sport when you met her?
Justin: She wasn’t actually, it’s been a bit of a learning curve for her. She hasn’t watched me play for the Volcanoes yet, because I haven’t played at home yet, so it’d be a really good experience to have her there and experience what rugby’s all about.
Do you know any Filipino words?
Austin: Opo. Justin: I do, because when I used to get in trouble from my mum when I was younger, she used to, like, scream at me, she’d say things like (I’m not sure if this is a swear word), but she used to say, like, “Anak ka ng tatay mo!” and she used to say, “Susmaryosep!” and I used to get hit with a thong so yeah, but I’m starting to expand my vocabulary, obviously, playing for the Philippines. I came here six times last year and you pick up more words, you learn how to haggle, you just pick up the language.
You know how to haggle?
Justin: Tawad. Austin: Magkano?
Austin: Nothing special. I try not to eat too close before it, but I’ll have a big breakfast and some fruit.
Justin: When I lived back in Sydney, I lived with mymumso I didn’t really get a choice as to what I ate, so it was always pancit or chicken adobo or tocino, definitely something Filipino, but I don’t have a preference just as long as it gives me energy, so rice and all the Filipino food is definitely going to do that.
What food do you eat before a match?
Pregame rituals?
Austin: Music. A lot of music. Justin: But what kind of music do you listen to? It’s kind of funny that the music that I always listen to before a game is The Transformers symphony, the movie score, ‘cause if you watch the movie, there’s some really high, orchestral notes, it’s really, really pump-up, so on my ipod before the game, I’ll have the big beats on, listening to Transformers. Don’t knock it till you try it. If you listen to it before an interview you’ll be (roars) “ANSWER THE QUESTION!”
Craziest fan moment?
Austin: It’ll start on Twitter, then Facebook, then they’ll go to the games. Kind of odd, you’ll try to be nice, be polite, take pictures, sign autographs, but when they start touching you it’s kind of weird—especially if they’re men.
Justin: But he likes it. I haven’t had really crazy fan moments, they’ve actually been really respectful. One of our fans on Twitter made us bag tags, so all our bags have our names on them, they made it for us, we really appreciate that.