It's brilliant. With the Masterclass you've got the opportunity to work with kids and show them a day in the life of a professional rugby player. It's very positive and I'm really enjoying it.
How important is it to the club to get young fans involved?
It's massively important. There could a few aspiring rugby players among the young fans coming up so it's good to get them interested in Connacht and Connacht Rugby. You never know, you could get the next Ireland international from one of those guys! So, it's massively important for the young lads coming through to experience that at the club.
What plans do you have for your Masterclass?
The kids are coming in for the day so I'd like to take them on a tour of the changing rooms and I'll take them into the gym. I think they're going to watch the guys training and then I'll do a bit of coaching, a few drills with them. I'll get one of the kickers to show them how to kick and a few other bits, so it should be a good day.
What will it mean for the kids to visit the ground and the dressing room?
I hope they'll be really excited for it. Hopefully it will show them what Connacht Rugby is all about and what we do day-to-day.
What rugby memories do you have as a child?
I went to a very sporting school in South Africa and I remember on a Saturday afternoon watching the first team boy's rugby games. Dreaming of putting on a first team school jersey and representing your school was my first memory really. Also, dreaming of playing international rugby was a big thing for me. I remember the South Africa World Cup win in 1995 and what it did for the whole country was amazing. It definitely did inspire me to take on rugby more seriously and play on.
Did you ever meet one of your rugby heroes? If so, who and what did it mean to you?
Not really, but when I got to university I played against a few of the Western Province rugby players and I kind of met them that way. Just playing against guys who you saw playing for the province at Newlands Stadium was pretty cool. It helped me improve my own game. One time we played a team that had two or three provincial players and we did really well. So it gives you confidence to kick-on and back yourself that if you put your mind to it, you can do it.
Do you think Connacht are closing the gap on the other Irish provinces?
I do. Obviously we've been building over the last few years, first under Eric Elwood and now Pat Lam is really driving us on now. I really do think we're closing the gap. We didn't start the season very well but things are starting to come together nicely now. Hopefully we can carry on that run of form and really push for higher places in the table towards the end of the season.
How are you coping with the retirement and what are your future plans?
It obviously came as a big shock. I always thought I'd be able to get fixed and get back on the pitch. I would have liked to have played for a lot longer but such is life. Obviously I've got a bit of time to think now and I'm focusing on getting my neck better. I've always loved coaching though so that's definitely something I'll look to go into or at least explore. I'll have a look what's out there and I haven't ruled anything out yet. I'd still like to give back to the game and pass on my knowledge about scrummaging to young kids.
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