Back at Scotland flanker John Hardie’s home, it’s lambing season and on the 600-acre family farm, there’s work to be done.
2000 head of sheep need “crutching” – it’s as bad as it sounds – and that used to be John’s job. Instead, the New Zealand-born openside is preparing for a World Cup opener against Japan in a week as the Scots fly down to Gloucester today, only two and a half months since he first set foot in Scotland, and without playing a game in the country of his new allegiance.
Dad Russell, who has never before left the farm for 30 years at this point in the season, Mum Helen and girlfriend Hayley will arrive in Gloucester this weekend to stay for the duration of the World Cup. His brother has been left with the farm that John left in June on this incredible adventure that will culminate at Kingholm.
“I’d just come home from Dunedin with the Highlanders and it all happened pretty quickly,” he said. “It was a tough time in my life, exciting, but pretty scary at the same time. I don’t regret it one bit.”
Hardie was coming to commit himself to Scotland without a safety net – no promises or assurances from Vern Cotter other than “work and work and you’ll have a chance”, and still no guarantee of a job once the Rugby World Cup is over. It’s hard to believe, however, that the impression he’s made in his two appearances for Scotland in warm-up games against Italy and France have not raised a few eyebrows of interest among clubs in the Northern Hemisphere.
“You know Vern, he’s straight up and down,” he said. “There was nothing guaranteed, there still isn’t. I’ve got to keep my head down and keeping working.
“I was reasonably happy with the way things went in the two games, but there’s always things you can improve on and I’ll be looking to do that in the next game, and as the World Cup goes on. It was a big step up from Super Rugby but hard to put a gauge on it so far; you knew that you’d been in a real game of rugby that night, put it that way. It was really physical but I really enjoyed it and I love playing at this level.
“It’s starting to sink in now. The boys have been awesome, the management have made me feel welcome. Some people have come up to me in the street and been really nice, they’re are passionate people and they love their team, so it’s all about repaying them as well.
“I think (the controversy over his selection) was always going to be expected. I always knew some people were not going to be happy about it, so it was all about proving myself and my right to be here as much as anyone.
“I had to put my head down, work hard. It tested my character and I think I came out the other side.”
Japan coach Eddie Jones has been playing his usual games, the former Wallaby chief calling Hardie “untested” and “a big risk” to come into the side, but Hardie is not fazed by that or by being the only open-side selected.
“I’m as tested as I can be, and I’m all about what my team mates want from me, about the coaches want from me, that’s all I’m worried about. Doing my team justice. Eddie’s a good coach and knows his players inside out as well, but I’d love to prove him wrong.
“I don’t feel the pressure, and you shouldn;t because you have your team mates with you. There’s 22 other guys every week who’ve got your back and look after you. If you have the right systems and confidence in what you’re doing, that takes pressure and doubt away.
“I love the boys in the squad, it was 42 new guys when I came and that was a bit challenging, but it made me a better person, I think. I’ve been here for two and a half months now and so I’m getting used to the city, the people, and really enjoying it. I can see myself playing on anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere to be honest and if it’s in Scotland or wherever I’ll be happy.”
The fact that Scotland is so like the Southland of New Zealand helps, he added.
“The landscapes are the same, the streets have the same names, there’s gorse everywhere in New Zealand and here as well,” he said. “I’m cottoning on to the different wee sayings now.”
He reckons his Dad will still have “half a mind on the farm” when he arrives, but John’s long left that behind.
“It’ll be cool for him, my brother’s been in charge for a couple of years now so he knows what he’s doing,” he continued.
“I can’t shear a sheep myself but I did a bit of crutching as as a kid and it was pretty tough. I kind of knew I wanted to play rugby after doing that for a few days!”