Xavier Numia Interview | Test 3 Preview from the ground in Johanessburg

0:00Celebrate Father's Day with sensational savings on big brand fragrances. Treat them to Dan Carter DC 10 signature 100 ml EDT now 3999 save 10. Or surprise them with Calvin Klein CKB 200 ml EDT for 4999 save 110. Kymus Warehouse, the Real House of Fregences. Alright, we are just what? 48 hours away from the start of the third test for rugby's greatest rivalry, spring box against the All Blacks the team. For both sides has been named just running through the All Blacks if you have missed it throughout the day it goes Bauer. Or more Lomax Darry, Vi, Luckeye Jacobson, Savia, Roygaard, Love, Carter, Barrett, Tobaya, Jordan, McKenzie, Thalqia, Hull, Numea, Nule, Holland, Satiti, Preston, Lennett Brown, and Josh Mourbe, one of those names mentioned there. Are we riding the pine on Sunday morning New Zealand time? John Fawos, fellow front rowers, Avery and Numea, how are you mate? Yeah, good things, good things, how are you guys? Mate, we're great, thank you. What has stood out from this tour from? Let's not talk for the just to start at least from an enjoyment perspective.

1:05What stood out for you? The connection side of us being pretty awesome. Green to get to a few of the boys from the Pacific Islands. The island boys to get up and teach the team a song before team meetings and it's just a good way to connect before the day and get out day started strong. So that's been a pretty cool part of getting the team involved and singing some island hymns before we start the day. I think that's been pretty awesome in a highlight of the tour. Man, and how about the food? Go on talk us, Sarah. It's a front row, is Drey, isn't it? Is South Africa? Yeah, yeah, it's been unreal. It's just the boys that need to put weight on. So boys going up for seconds, thirds and there's a pretty good sushi spot in the hotel. They were staying out that the boys are boys going to get in too. So it was pretty enjoyable. And what about, I know the boys like to keep a tight match day and when the games coming up on TV.

2:11Is one of the boys alike the local bubble or do you go to the brothers on the street or in the the vendors of a cardboard box and get a little fade in before the match? Yeah, I feel the boys are well, been hearing kegs out and one of the bubble came in and and fed the boys up. But if the hotel we are in and Joe broke, there's a more and the boys get to the more and get a snip up there. So does the job and the boys are grateful. I love, I love, I love, you're 27. I know you're from Wellington, but was John Afora here of yours growing up? Did you watch much of his scrumaging when you were a youngster? Yeah, of course, definitely John Afor, Resley, Resley prop as well. Love the way he played. Love the way he played the game. So, yeah, now he's been in spree since a lot of the props. So it's pretty sometimes when I see him in person, it's pretty surreal. The man's blushing, I've never said him go so red, but being that dynamic ball runner, alongside your core skills obviously,

3:13was that something that you at a young age intentionally went, I want to add that to my skillset? Because it's worked really well for you obviously. Yeah, this was too short for many people, no, but I was originally a midfielder until probably around year 11 years old, so I went to Billy Proctor and kicked me off to the prop. So, yeah, I guess there's just a lot of us, just backyard footy with the cousins and stuff, and kind of my, I guess, point of difference, so I try and use that as my strength or part of my game to, yeah, I guess just play the way I want to play and express myself. It's a real extremity though, going from the midfielder to the front row. How did you make that decision of all positions to cheer us? That's, you have interlearned a lot of dark arts there, Xavier? Yeah, definitely wasn't my choice. Back then, in the school, I was eating a lot of too much Sunday feast and KFC, so I put it a little bit of weight,

4:19so I think my coach back there put me into prop without a choice. I know, wasn't watching John Foyle highlights that you thought I wanted me that guy. Never made me. Oh yeah, and that as well. You guys watching our pitties, pitties I like to, you should have played in the front row. My last one, I actually had a great super rugby last year, got injured, and then sort of had to wait another sort of 12 months, because people were throwing their name around for the all-blows. How it was it when you finally named in the team, and then, how good has it been in the squad, sort of in such a big, well, the greatest rivalry on tour? Yeah, obviously, you know, I got injured, it was a pretty tough time, because I was really in the team at the time, but I was pretty fortunate and lucky to have really good support system, my partner, her family, my family. They got me through a pretty dark place, I guess. And then, yeah, Wopla, the cane, the pictures, the cane,

5:25so I helped me as well, just getting into loving my rugby and just being who I want to be on and off the field. And I think that helped me a lot, especially this year, playing how I want to play. They just allowed me to be who I wanted to be off the field, which obviously led to me playing how I wanted to play the game. And yeah, now I'm just really grateful for everyone that helped me get to this place where I met now, because I truly met everything when I got names, so they are pretty thankful and blessed. Xavier, up to you, how much you want to share in all of this, obviously, but you mentioned those dark places and those challenging times. What was the hardest part of being away from it all? I was just obviously just knowing that you had a pretty good year leading up to the back end of it, once you entered, you just get a lot of what-ifs. It's pretty hard to explain.

6:26I guess you got to go through it to be able to experience it, but not necessarily before. My partner, her family, my family did a pretty awesome job to keep me grounded. And so just be with my feet sometimes. It wasn't always like that, but I'm truly grateful for them for always sticking in it with me. And I believe you and your granddad had a pretty amazing relationship. Can you share a bit more about that? Yeah, 100%. My granddad is probably the reason why I started playing rugby. He took me to our local rugby club, Boris, Oriental Ragnarthai, and pretty much started from there when I was around five or six years of age, along with my other family members. He's been there from the start. I can say he's a day thought. He's been there from through everything. Always giving me those hard talks after a game, and always giving me workouts, and also always taking me to McDonald's after I get play of the day back at junior rugby.

7:28That was a pretty cool highlight of my rugby career growing up. Well, I say once I always Ori, as I say down self, or stick on the rugby game. How are you, Lyskie, straighter at the scramps? That's been going. Are you guys been doing more? Is it being quite intense? Is there being a lot of blood coming out the ears for the props? Or is it just another week where you guys are just sort of focusing on getting the technique stuff right? Yeah, just another week of getting the technique stuff right. We can control what we want to control. Obviously scrum, the big part of the box's game. And if we can take that away from them, then it opens up opportunities for us everywhere else. But I think it's more of an us-focus. Just getting the back five and the front row and sink and getting our cohesion right, scrumming together as an eight. And I think if you can do that,

8:29then I think we'll be in a pretty good spot to set up a good platform, or a dominant platform for our backs to do what they do best. And obviously you guys got a big pus here with there. So you guys use them as like mimicking South Africans and their angles. And do you put like another prop behind them so you can mimic the weight that's going to come through on those loose heads? Yeah, 100% big plus is a big boy. So we utilize them as obviously as a block prop. And he does an awesome job at it, getting to seams and loading up the front row, loading up the other pack. That's been pretty good to, I guess, have... Yeah, it's been, it has been good to have him in the scrum sessions, along with every other front row, because obviously we all want to be the best and be great. So I think the competition there has been awesome. And I was being the kids. Everyone wants to learn and get better together. So I think that's all you can really ask for as a front row from a front row perspective is just help each other.

9:30And I guess just get better because we can feel what we feel in the scrums and that's the main and the most important part, I guess. Xavier Numea with us here on Sport Nation out of the all-blakes. I know you didn't play the box at all and you haven't probably played a lot of South African teams full stop Xavier. How is that as a challenge going up against the team who are renowned for their scrumaging? And what did you have to, I suppose, learn? Yeah, it's been awesome. Obviously, this is a proper first proper time playing and scrumming against South Africans and the box. But it's been a pretty good experience. I've loved it. It's been pretty surreal because it was a good test for myself to see where I met individually. If I can go up against the best, then it's something I guess I've always dreamed of growing up. Well, the last couple years, especially,

10:30I know that scrumming probably hasn't been my best. My best the last couple of years, but I know that I've I guess grown in the area and I truly want to test myself against some box and some South Africans. Yeah, what I've learned is you've got to go into a deep place and I guess you've got to enjoy it and love that deep place otherwise it will be pretty tough. But just also having a process that you can always go to when things don't go right. So, yeah, that's what I've meant. And how helpful is it having a more low-max, your hurricane, front rowers either next to you or against you or within that sort of 23? You know, when you go into these big matches because you've been under those wings for a long time and you have those relationships, does that help when you get into the nitty-gritty of it? Yeah, 100%. Obviously, we've played a lot of rugby with canes and stuff.

11:33So, our connection is pretty good. And just having them around obviously, family faces and family of boys that I've played a lot of rugby with just kind of just makes me feel at home. So, yeah, it's been awesome. Another person that I guess helped has been David with David Gray, a mental skills coach at the Hoverlands. He's helped a lot with our mental and our visualisation just trying to stand the process and stand the moment when things get tough. So, that's also been pretty helpful for me and visually. How are you meant to whop it before Xavier? I know he's been massive for your game. How's Jason Ryan been since you joined the Soul Black Squad? Yeah, Jason Ryan's been awesome. I've learnt a lot within the last couple of weeks and even in the nation's cup, it's been pretty cool to be under his wing and learn a lot from him, his experience and his knowledge.

12:34As a lot of other boys, no doubt have. So, yeah, I'm just here. I've just been here to learn and get better and get better at my craft. So, what better pitch than just Ryan at the moment to learn from. Yeah, it's been just before I let you go, mate. Obviously, this game this weekend is part of a double header with the Black Furns. I know Women's Rugby means a lot to you. Can you just share that relationship? Let's put this pro-the-right. Where doesn't that relationship that you've got to Women's Rugby? Yeah, Women's Rugby is an awesome sport. I think that's a really good opportunity for Women's Rugby. This week in particular, to have a double header with all Blacks and get the atmosphere that they deserve. My partner, myself, plays rugby. So, it's pretty special to, I guess, have the support that I have for the Black friends and for Women's Rugby, my partner.

13:35She's been through a lot. So, yeah, it's going to be an awesome occasion. No doubt both teams are going to enjoy it. It will be awesome for New Zealand Rugby and for Women's Rugby. Man, I can't wait for, I guess, the world to see what both teams are capable of this weekend. Yeah, and any of these fans might come up for that either. Thank you so much for joining us, Xavier. I really, really appreciate it, mate. Good luck this week in No doubt New Zealand's World Behind, not just you, but the rest of the play as well. Thanks so much for joining us. See you next.