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JARED PAYNE
JARED PAYNE:
REFLECTS ON HIS RWC 2015 EXPERIENCE
ON THE WORLD CUP
It was an awesome experience; it was everything I
had imagined. The supporters were amazing, the
way they got behind the team and the atmosphere
that they created in the stadiums was unbelievable.
We also had a lot of fun off the pitch, meeting
some interesting people like Usain Bolt, the
experience really was a dream come true for me
and I loved every minute of it.
ON HIS FAVOURITE MOMENT
My favourite moment was definitely the first
bus trip to the Millennium Stadium – seeing the
magnitude of the support and the sea of green
was unbelievable. At that moment you realised
how important what we were doing was to so many
people. It really showed how much rugby means to
this nation, which was pretty special.
ON THE QF DISSAPOINTMENT
The quarter-final against Argentina was
disappointing, the boys came up against a pretty
good team that day unfortunately. They did well to
get back into the game but Argentina managed
to finish us off towards the end. It was difficult, we
had high hopes to go a lot further but at the same
time, I think everyone involved can hold their heads
up high for the effort they put into the tournament.
bitter-sweet but we will all look back on it as a great
memory.
ON HIS INJURY
You could say I brought home an unwanted
souvenir (the moon boot). I snapped my middle
metatarsal bone in my foot so that was a
disappointment. It was done at a training session
and I didn’t think too much off it, I put it in a boot
and got some physio on it and I was hoping that
it would settle down but it didn’t and the doc said
we better get this x-rayed. I didn’t really want it
because I was worried it would put an end to my
World Cup and unfortunately the x-ray did show a
break. It was disappointing but injuries are a part of
sport and you just have to get on with it.
I got the operation done quickly, woke up in
hospital on my birthday, was on the couch for two
weeks straight after and then got moving. It will
be six weeks next week when I go back to see the
surgeon and hopefully he will give me some good
news. Ideally I will be back playing some time in
January and I can’t wait!