Zac Guildford had dreamed about wearing the All Blacks jersey
since he could walk and pass around a rugby ball, a dream he
realised last November when he made his test debut against Wales at
the Millennium Stadium.
His selection in the squad for the end of year tour to Europe
came as no surprise, given his try-scoring exploits with the Baby
Blacks in the IRB Junior World Championship and then for
Hawke's Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup.
However, the 20-year-old wing was determined not to get
carried away with all the hype and avoided watching the squad
announcement on the Rugby Channel, staying in bed trying to keep it
off his mind. His mobile quickly gave the game away, though.
"I knew I had played good rugby that year but I still
didn't really want to bring myself round to thinking that I was
actually going to make the All Blacks," Guildford told
Total Rugby Radio.
"I knew if I did that it would be a huge let down. I was
actually still in bed and I was trying to keep it off my mind, then
my phone started going crazy. I got a whole help of texts from my
mates and family, so that was the first thing I heard of the
selection.
"It was a huge surprise and I guess a huge relief
because I had put in so much effort that year and I wanted to do it
for my Dad. It was just a huge honour and a privilege to be named
in that team."
Using tragedy as motivation
The first stop on Guildford's maiden All Black tour was
Tokyo, the Japanese capital where only four months earlier he had
scored two tries as New Zealand's Under 20s beat England 44-28
in the Junior World Championship final.
The title was his third age grade success in as many years,
having been part of the sides that won the IRB Under 19 World
Championship in Belfast in 2007 and the inaugural Junior World
Championship a year later.
However, what should have been a time of celebration for the
young wing after an age grade career few, if any, can rival, turned
into tragedy when his father Robert died within minutes of the
final whistle at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.
Losing his father was a devastating blow for Guildford, but
he managed to channel his grief and use it as a motivation to
realise a dream the two of them had long shared, involving the
iconic black jersey.
"Obviously with the passing of my dad probably five
minutes after the final whistle it sort of put a bit of a damper on
winning the tournament, but in saying that I am glad that we did
win because he got to see me win an Under 20 title again and to
have him there was obviously really special throughout the
tournament.
"Something like that happening to you certainly does put
life into perspective. It makes you realise what things are
important to you and it gives you a lot of motivation in how you
just play the game and the way you go about things."
Mixture of emotions
Guildford had been an unused replacement when the All Blacks
beat Australia in Tokyo before heading to Europe, but a week later
he was named in the starting line up to face Wales and was somewhat
relaxed about the biggest day in his career.
"Jeez it went quick," recalled Guildford. "I
was quite relaxed building up to it actually, I just wanted to go
out there and have a good performance on the field. I knew I just
had to concentrate on my role because I had a whole help of good
players around me.
"But it went in a flash, it seemed like I got out there
and the next minute the game had finished. It was an awesome
experience, I didn't get a lot of the ball in space, but I got
involved through defensive work.
"It [pulling on the jersey] was all I'd dreamed of
since I could walk. Since I could kick and pass around a rugby ball
all I've always wanted was to play for the All Blacks. That has
always been my dream and I never actually thought I'd be good
enough to put on that jersey.
"It was a mixture of emotions and I just feel really
proud."
The only member of his three Baby Blacks' squads to have
been capped by the All Blacks at present, Guildford also started
against England at Twickenham a fortnight later and is yet to taste
defeat in his two test matches.
World Cup dream
Guildford has been named in the All Blacks squad for this
month's tests against the visiting Ireland and Wales - along
with Aaron Cruden, his Baby Blacks captain in 2009 - and
understandably would love to be involved in a certain event in New
Zealand in 2011.
"If I make the 2011 World Cup then that will be an
absolute dream come true so that's the target," admitted
Guildford, who wasn't born when New Zealand won their only
Rugby World Cup to date back in 1987.
"There's huge excitement, I don't think the boys
are getting too hyped up just yet because we know we've got our
tasks to do before the World Cup and that's winning a Tri
Nations again and completing an end of year tour, but I guess
leading into summer next year back home the boys are going to be
raring to go and looking to hit peak for the World Cup.
The only player with two Junior World Championship
winners' medals to his name, Guildford was the leading try
scorer with eight in 2009, taking his tally to 10 across the two
tournaments and has nothing but fond memories of his Baby Blacks
career.
"I look back on the JWC as a brilliant experience. It is
a stepping stone to greater things and the guys you come through
the grades with are really good fellas and you are all the same age
so you all have a pretty special bond," enthused Guildford.
Something to cherish
"I played in three of them, so it is an awesome
experience and something that I was lucky to experience three times
when most people only get to experience it once.
"You learn a lot of lessons. It was sort of my first
introduction to what you could call professional rugby, so you
learn a lot about what it is like becoming a professional rugby
player and what sort of attitude you have to have, not just in
terms of on the field but also off the field and the way you
conduct yourself, your recovery, your pre-hab, your rehab, your
work in the gym, it is just a starting block for future things.
Guildford, who Graham Henry has said reminds him of All Black
legend John Kirwan, therefore has a simple piece of advice for the
Baby Blacks, who arrived in Argentina on Sunday with a target of
preserving New Zealand's unbeaten record in the Junior World
Championship.
"It's hard but I'd just say do your best. You
know you only get one shot at it so every time you put that jersey
on you have to leave a bit of yourself out there, you know blood,
sweat, tears whatever it takes.
"Leave it out there for the cause and that's really
five gruelling matches and it's something that you'll
cherish for the rest of your life."