Ex-All Black feels ‘blessed’ after rare feat last achieved 50 years ago
Alex Hodgman in action during a Wallabies training session.
Alex Hodgman made history during the Wallabies’ 40-29 victory against Georgia when he became the first player in the professional era to play for both the All Blacks and Wallabies.
The loosehead prop made four Test appearances for the All Blacks in 2020 and joined the Reds earlier this year after playing for the Crusaders in 2015 and 2016 before representing the Blues in 56 games between 2017 and last year.
He qualifies to play for Australia due to a three-year stand-down period from Test rugby.
Fourth player to play for Australia and New Zealand
The 31-year-old came off the bench in the second half of Saturday’s Test at Allianz Stadium and, in doing so, he became only the fourth player to represent Australia and New Zealand at Test level, and the first in 50 years.
Owen Stephens was the last player to manage the feat in 1973 and Hodgman said that he is delighted to join a select group.
“It’s amazing. It’s quite a small group and I’m just blessed with great players and coaching staff around me,” he told reporters.
“It’s funny because my dad got me and my brother Aussie passports when we were newborns so he was like ‘one day this is going to work for you.’
“I just wanted to play as well as I can at the Reds and if something comes from it, something comes from it. I’ve been the person to look too far ahead and miss the moment right in front of me so I’ve taken a new approach this year and live in the moment.”
Wallabies hold off Georgia in 10-try thriller as Joe Schmidt makes it three wins from three
What makes his achievement of returning to international rugby more remarkable is that he thought his playing career was over due to a serious shoulder injury that he sustained in 2023.
However, he recovered from that and received a lifeline when he joined the Reds’ Super Rugby Pacific squad this year.
“There’s been plenty of tears… there were a lot of moments last year especially being injured with the Blues where I considered retirement,” Hodgman admitted.
“My wife pretty much got me through it all so she’s my rock. I wouldn’t be sitting in front of you today without her.
“I think it was cool because during the warm-up I saw (the family) and once I made contact with them, that gave me a smile and it took away all the stress and anxiety of footy.”
Enjoys working with Joe Schmidt
Hodgman is enjoying his time in Australia’s camp under head coach Joe Schmidt, who he knows well as they worked together at the Blues in 2022 when Schmidt was a support coach at the Auckland-based outfit, and he feels the Wallabies can achieve great things.
“I didn’t want to overstep my boundary, I wanted to feel the group and understand the culture, what it meant to be a Wallaby or Red and then add from there,” he said on joining the group.
“I don’t have to add a lot, there’s a lot of good in here at the moment.”