CUP OF GLEE

“It’s huge. It’s a challenge to drink out of but that’s why you want to retain the Bledisloe Cup, so the Wallabies don’t have the satisfaction of drinking out of it!

“We won it back in 2003, my first year, and my team-mates were in tears because they’d been part of losing Bledisloe Cup teams. From then I realised the importance of the trophy; it means a lot to me.

“We’ve an amazing rivalry with the Wallabies. I remember John Eales kicking a goal and Toutai Kefu scoring a try with the last play to beat the All Blacks before my time. I held onto the cup throughout my career, which was really special to achieve.”