Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It's talks on rugby union. And I'm going to go
now and have a chat with a bloke call Ricky,
Ricky Telly.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Ricky Ricky Telly. Is he's cash it in today? That's it?
Enough is enough, he says, and he joins us now today,
Ricky here you going very well. Not going to France,
that's for sure, but you are what a call? Where
did this come from?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
I suppose it kind of stemmed from where I was
at and my rugby career and sort of just the timing,
Is that right? I think post last year I was
kind of had to make a few calls and quite
a bit going on away from rugby, and you know,
I was laid up where I was with my rugby career,
and you know, I still feel like best here ahead
(00:57):
of me. So I'm I'm going to go explore a
different part of the world and a different competition. And
I look at the European competition at the moment, I
just think it's, you know, like something I want to
be a part of the fan bases, the crowds, atmospheres,
and that's partly what rugby's all about, and want to
go test myself and grow and that sort of environment.
And I think challenging myself to go overseas in a
(01:18):
new environment it takes a bit of balls because you've
got to leave what you've always known and good mates.
And I think that's how I personally grow as a
person as a player. And it's a good opportunity for myself.
And my partner's a tennis player as well, so it's
much easier for her career as well. So those are
the long story short, that's the main crucks.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
You talk about stuff outside of rugby, your personal life,
you probably don't want to delve into that.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Was there anything else we can know about what helped
that decision?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Well, I think like I felt like I've given New
Zealand rugby pretty much all of me and everything I
could have given. Hopefully you guys could see it, but
I feel personally that I've given a lot of myself
on the fields the rugby and was a big reason
(02:08):
why I've decided. Look, I've come here. I've always dreamed
about playing rugby professionally, playing sport. You know, I've won
a couple of sup of Rugby titles. You know, US
Blues Boys managed to get another one last year, and
I felt like, for me personally, that's what I wanted
to achieve here in New Zealand, away from higher honors.
(02:31):
So those were the I felt like I had achieved
what I wanted to achieve in New Zealand, or that
was what was going to happen.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, you say higher honors and your name's been up
and around that conversation for a while now.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Gee even played in the under of twenty teen, didn't
you for a while.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Is the realization that you weren't going to get there
that helped the drive ordered in His Zealand Rugby tell
you flatter, you're not going anywhere and that's why you left.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
What how did this work out? And did France approach
you or vice versa? So many questions, Ricky, Well, I
knew of.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
This where you're trying to lean towards the whole time
was everything with higher honors, but I was trying to
avoid it. But look, I just think look the first
of all, like I didn't, I basically was open to
open to exploring I think end of last year and
(03:30):
that's when we got approached and in terms of going
over to France, and you know, things, a few things
had to align with or with where I wanted to go,
and we found a perfec opportunity in France. So that
was the main and that was the one of the
big reasons why I wanted to go over there in
terms of the higher honor stuff like, yeah, it was.
(03:51):
It wasn't as if the door was closed. It's more
it's more what I wanted. It's more like, I think
that goal of being in a New zeal environment or
the all Blacks environment, there's always been my goals. You know, well,
I've been playing to rugby. But I think the more
I've grown up and the more I've looked at the
(04:13):
things and knowing that I'm coming to my prime, I
think there's opportunities elsewhere in the world and his opportunities.
I believe that, you know, I want to open the
door to and to do that, to leave New Zealand.
So I'm looking forward to just kind of yeah, as
I said, challenging myself and growing in a different country.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Are you lost in His Zealand rugby?
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Is that it?
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Will you ever come back again? As an open ended
would you like to go to Ireland to Britain. Are
you're only thirty, it's not old for a rake records.
There's a lot in front of you. Isn't there even
come back.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Or yeah, I mean I'm not closing the door. And
he's in a rugby for good in terms of playing
super wise and everything like that. N But I'm yeah, like,
as I said to you, mate, like I feel that
this is a good age for my position. Where I
personally at like this last couple of year is is
you learn a lot when you're younger and you're sort
(05:09):
of mature a bit into and your knowledge base grows
every time. And I feel like now is the rugby
what I think is obvious, he is the enemy. So
it was more I'm not closing the door in he's
other rugby, but I'm opening a door to abroad.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
So yeah, on on balance, you made a great decision
for yourself and for your partner, and I think Matsiji
admirable to be able to do that when you look
at life not only beyond rugby but at the maturation
of your career and we can play.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
You had a lot of fun in France.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I tell you, I don't build him small over there, Ricky,
you won't tell us where you're going.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Why's that?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
There's a few things for legal terms that are still
working through, and so everything's just not it's not ready yet.
So until we're all we're that over line, then we'll
be able to tell you guys, we're off to But yeah,
we all to tell you there.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Why now?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
You haven't pushed over a line like legally? So why
did you open the door and say I'm leaving as
opposed to keep it boxing until he could give us
all of the details. There something else that pushed that
or the time was right, or you're disappointed about being
beaten by mine pussyfka.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Sorry had to get int of But why why now?
Speaker 4 (06:25):
No, it was just timing. It was the results have
nothing to do with it. It was just always planned
for the state. And look it was just when everything
aligned with the Blues Taranaki and injured us. So yeah,
I just feel the time's right and well we all
agreed and look it was it was a process. But
(06:47):
look we're here now, and yeah, I'm just excited for
whats ahead. To be honest, I'll just.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Add one more to this.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
With Taranaki in the MPC was there a chance maybe
you'd stick around and have.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
One more season.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Was it important that you got out before that to
get over to France and to blend in So why
knowing PC.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Tough questions that, no, it was that was part of
the part of the deal. So I've got to get
over there, after said rugby. Look it was. I mean,
it's such a tough It's tough for me leaving great
mates and a province that well, I can't even describe
how how cool it's been playing for you know where
I grew up. So it was a tough one, mate,
(07:33):
But like it was, you know, I sat down with
the coaches and we discussed things, and the team's in
a good direction and you know, like I leave with
full confidence that they've got a group of guys that
can you know, keep going deep in the national COMPI
And it wasn't like a really an option. It was
it was kind of like I needed to get over there.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Looking forward to seeing how you go over there, enjoying
your time away from the Goldfish Bowl that is New
Zealand rugby and growing as a human not just a
rugby player. Ricky rica Telli, thanks so much for your
time I'm and congratulations.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Cheers mate.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
No need for the DMO. We've got the breakdown on
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