Eyes front for captain Rush

By WYNNE GRAY

He has been an All Black, but this is no time for Xavier Rush to look back on his rugby career.

Everything he does is about the present and the future, which is why he had been mowing the lawns until the Herald called, and why he dabbles in the sharemarket.

When rugby went professional, Rush used some of that income and his training as a builder to enter the property market.

It was a way forward, like his other interest in the money market, a business he is keen to get more involved in once his rugby stocks dip.

"I come from a humble background and I suppose that made me think when I got some money I wanted it to work for me," Rush said.

"I wanted to create some long-term security."

He is self-taught, although he concedes he got some strong advice from a friend. There has been the odd tremor, but the 25-year-old said his business involvement has given him the energy to learn more.

His building knowledge allowed him to pick the right sort of property to develop, although he tends to be the maintenance man rather than the renovator during the rugby season, which explains his lawnmowing stint.

"I love being involved in these things and I find they are a bit cyclical. If I had my mind on rugby all day it would drain me."

Rush was the centre of rugby attention four years ago when he was chosen for the All Blacks, after injuries to Michael Jones and Isitolo Maka. It was a shock selection, it was his only test, a Bledisloe Cup defeat in Sydney.

The No 8 still has the jersey and each look at the garment reminds him of his rugby goal.

"I would love to play for the All Blacks again, it is definitely still a dream. I was young then, I have learned a heck of a lot more than I knew then and would love another crack at it.

"The side is dominated a bit by the south and we have got to concentrate on getting Auckland back on track, and then the Blues.

"If that happens it will reflect better on individuals and if we are dominant again then it could flow on to the national scene. It would be great, but the priority now is Auckland and the NPC."

And the Battle of the Bridge today at Eden Park, where the loose forward match-ups will provide Blues coach Peter Sloane with more data for his Super 12 choices later this year.

Rush's first cross-city clash was in 1998, when Auckland lost 32-12 on their home soil.

"We probably deserved that defeat, too," he recalled.

"There is a lot on the line here, we definitely want to win because we will have to live with a lot of these guys for the next 12 months.

"There are careers on the line, it is like a trial game for the Blues.

"Let's hope the city gets into it and there is a great atmosphere at Eden Park."

Rush is in his second year captaining Auckland, another job which does not deter him after being in the same position for the NZ Colts and his club side.

"There is a strong core of senior players I can call on, such as Lee Stensness, Carlos Spencer, Kees Meeuws and Eroni Clarke, who can all chip in.

"But I am also a captain who wants to make decisions. That is why I have the job. I am not one who wants to get instructions all the time through a game.

"Once you are on the field it is your territory."

Rush is confident of his command, he is self-assured, his place is secure. He accepts it is a contrast to his solitary international with the All Blacks.

He is also glad he was not converted into a hooker, one suggestion which went round in 1999 as the All Black selectors searched for a versatile World Cup squad.

Rush answers questions about that phase in his career out of politeness, but you sense he wants to move on, he wants to dwell on this season's NPC, he wants it to be a success, he wants that to happen at Eden Park today.

He was upset after the opening loss to Taranaki, a match he and his team let slide.

Auckland had some flat patches in the win last week against Northland, but it was much better, and so was the captain.

"As a No 8, I rely on my tighthead prop keeping the scrum square so we can work things off it, rather than having to fight it all the time. Kees [Meeuws] is doing a great job there and making my job easier.

"But it is a team thing and if we all go well, we will get some rewards."