US cop takes selfie with All Blacks

Dan Jarvis appears to be taking a selfie of himself and All Black Kieran Read. Photo / Getty Images

There probably aren't too many Americans who could pick an All Black in casual clothing, but it was no problem for one Chicago cop.

Rugby fan Dan Jarvis, 45, couldn't believe his luck when he stumbled upon some of the "rock star" All Blacks on the streets of the Windy City.

Two days before the weekend game, the officer for the Chicago police mounted patrol unit was driving his horses in a trailer past the All Blacks' hotel in the central city when he spotted the All Blacks.

"We saw a couple of them on the street and I said, 'Hold on a second.' I played rugby here in the States for about 20 years. I have been a fan of New Zealand for a long time. I could pick out the tighthead props, the wingers, anyone," he told the Herald over the weekend.

Mr Jarvis, who ended his career playing First Five, went inside and met his sporting hero Dan Carter, captain Richie McCaw, veteran Kevin Mealamu, and others.

"For me it was awesome. It was like meeting rock stars," he said.

"A couple of the guys [including Charles Piatau and Malakai Fekitoa] came out and they got on the horse. Then Kieran Read came out and he was just all about it. He couldn't have been a nicer guy."

The Weekend Herald ran a picture on Saturday of what appeared to be Mr Jarvis taking a selfie of himself and Read, but the cop insisted he was just handing his phone to someone else to take the shot.

The big loose forward was a match for the horse he sat on, too: "It was the first time I have seen that horse with all four legs bent. He [Read] is big."

The mounted officer said he didn't start playing rugby until his late teens.

"I watched a game when I was in high school and I just knew it was for me. I went to my first practice in college and that was it - I fell in love."

There was a lot of room for the game to grow in the States, and the 62,000 sell-out on Saturday night proved it could yet become popular in the crowded American sports market, he said ahead of the game on Saturday.

"I've talked to probably 20 different groups of people from other states [in Chicago for the game]. From California, Washington, Oregon, people are flying here just to go to the game.

"They're rugby fans. They're flying in, they're driving in, they're coming to see something special."

And those at Soldier Field did see something special. Although the result didn't go their way, the crowd witnessed an expansive attacking game from the Kiwis.

Officer Jarvis had predicted a modest 35-point win for the All Blacks. However, the New Zealanders ended up crushing the USA Eagles 74-6.