Declan McCormack - Heartland 15 in Samoa

Luke caught Declan McCormack from Samoa to ask what it's like leading the Heartland 15 side 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I wanted to play a tropical feeling song as we

(00:03):
catch up with somebody who is in the tropics of
Samoa as a skipper of the Heartland fifteen, our very
own Declan McCormack. I see here that there's no time difference,
so it's twenty to eight for you as well, and
you're already at twenty seven degrees, so safe to say
it's hot.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're copingh not too bad. I tried to train in
a couple of ladies when we're in Auckland for a
couple of days acclimatized, so yeah, help you to over here.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Yeah, all right, you're onto something if it works. It
ain't weird cool to see that you were named captain
of the side. Did you see that coming?

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Not really now? Or yeah? It's an honor and a
bit of a privilege. We have to lead your country,
especially and smaller so yeah, just grateful.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Really.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
I was going to ask how it's been bringing the
side together, because it's a bit different to the Heartland season,
where you have months to band with teammates, you even
have that pre season run as well, whereas here it's
a matter of weeks to figure each other out. But
then has it made a bit easier given that a
good third of the squad are fellow Hammers.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, I mean that makes it a little bit easier
to having eight of us. And yeah, but the coaches
do a pretty good job at bringing everyone together. I
think they've done. Maketu, you sure jobs him and the
management team, So from what they've done, and then just
living with the boys, you know every day once get
into camp. I think we're into day ten now, so
you get to know each other pretty well pretty quickly.
What sort of helps out? Yeah, everyone knows who's a
smaller now and he's got short short so yeah, that's

(01:32):
all part of it.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Well, hopefully it's not you now, to be fair, if
you're the first one to sleep, it's all good.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, you got to be early and then you've got
no issues.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah. We talk a lot about how much it means
to play in the green and gold. What's it like
playing in black with that silver fern on your chest?

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, it's pretty specially to be fair, you know, playing Heartland,
it's the sort of you know, Hartler fift Thing's equivalent
of you know, the all Wacks, So the Heartland players,
so it's sinevsa honor and a privilege, and yeah that
hasn't that's been front of mind and camps. You know
how special it is they actually put on the fern
and represent your country. So yeah, e run's everyone's definitely

(02:09):
feeling very privileged and yeah, very honored to be able
to run out and represent our country, especially in another country.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, black Jersey looks good on you. Do you get
to keep it?

Speaker 3 (02:19):
Ah, we're going to keep campaign. Yeah, black quite slumming, so.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
It's hot though, you know with the suns on that.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, yeah, it's got as positives and negatives, but I'll
take the slumming effects of this year.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Any other sweet perks that come from Heartland fifteen.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
Oh, you get looked up pretty well bile the the Union.
We get lots of gear and stuff, which is which
is pretty, which is which is great, great privilege. So
you get to set out of training catt and casuals
and all that sort of stuff. So it's definitely a
perker making the team as long as you representing the country.
So yeah, yeah, pretty handy.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
You've been doing some other cool stuff outside of the RUGB,
like maybe some cultural immersion.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Oh, we've had a few welcoming ceremonies, and I think
what they call an art a ceremoney, which was she's
got experience. Had a couple of those, and then we
had a day off yesterday, so the boys sort of
did their own things toward the island and saw a
few spots, a few swimming holes and did all sorts.
So yeah, it's been good.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
No doubt, an incredible experience. But are you quietly jealous
of brother Liam because I hear he's been over in
Melbourne for the cap.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah. No, I've been chatting to him. Yeah, he's been
having a he's having a hell of a time. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Has he won anything?

Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, I don't know. I haven't actually had the chance
to discuss his winnings or not, but I think he's
definitely enjoying it for the both of us, that's sure
from what I've seen on social media that he sent.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
Me looking ahead to next season? Will you be back
with the Hammers.

Speaker 3 (03:42):
I'm off to London to play some forty a week
after next so yeah, I think this stage will probably
come back for the Shield Challenge and then it's going
to be done, you know, so that sometimes it's quite
hard to leave once you're back. So I was sort
of the played by a year sort of thing. Yeah
at the stage.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Okay, it sounds like we might have you. What about
you know, other members of the squad or even Big Fridge.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, i'd say Big Fridge will be back. I don't
know any chance of assigrements. I'm not sure, if not
too sure, as I know Zach clearly we had to
cover our loan boys. I'm not sure if returning or not.
But leads it up to the management to get the
sort of to get the players deck. Really, that's it's
on Winter and the boys, and I'm sure they'll do
a good job on a good squad gear again next year.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah, I must be exciting to know that we'll have
some familiar faces, and there's many of them over in
Samo as well. You soak up every second. I'm sure
you are looking forward to catching the live stream again
at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Go get them, Dick and mcormack.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, thanks mate, takes your time.