KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - Breaking into the All Blacks starting side has been tough enough for Andrew Hore - but it has nothing on the old school hooker's "real" job.
Hore's sole focus is the Tri-Nations decider against the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night after being in and out of the New Zealand XV over the past six years.
However, the 34-test veteran's thoughts are never far away from his first love - the family farm at central Otago.
In a throwback to Kiwi forwards of old, Hore can't wait to get back to his sheep and beef farm when his rugby commitments wind down.
"The biggest thing has always been the farm we've got back home," Hore said in Brisbane yesterday.
"When rugby is finished for me I'm back there doing some real work."
Australia may have once ridden on the sheep's back, but it wasn't that long ago that sheep farmers propped up the All Blacks' forward pack.
Cue the sheep jokes.
But the All Blacks have given wags across the ditch little material to work with of late.
Hore reckons not too many All Blacks have followed in the footsteps of the likes of Kiwi legend and farmer Colin "Pinetree" Meads these days.
"I think it's just Tony Woodcock and I (who are farmers), Greg Somerville grew up on a farm as well," said Hore, who at 1.83m and 110kg is the last bloke you would want to rib about his background.
"We are very part-time (farmers). We don't get too much time to get home because of rugby - but I love it (on the farm)."
Hore - who turns 30 on Saturday - made his All Blacks debut in 2002 but has only been a starting regular this year.
"I've been in the background for the All Blacks for quite a few years now and to be finally starting a few tests is great - you really feel a part of it when you start," he said.
It was a rollercoaster ride in the national side but not once was he tempted to follow in his brother Charles' footsteps and head for Europe's big bucks.
The family farm ensured the self-confessed "outdoors man" never strayed too far.
"(I like) old school stuff, get out and help your father on the farm - I'm more an outdoors man than sit inside," he said.
In the meantime, there's just the small matter of securing the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup in Brisbane.
For Hore, it will be rugby's equivalent of playing for sheep stations.
"This is the final - winner takes all," he said.
- AAP
