approached it in New Zealand. You just have to NZRPA Player adapt. It was frustrating but it is what it is. Go with Transition Support an open mind that it is not going to be like it is in Services New Zealand and that makes it easier. The NZRPA has Tim PLAYERS Weston as their dedicated Be realistic that they don’t play or train the same way you did in New Zealand and you will be better staff member to assist prepared. We bussed everywhere and some of the players prior to going overseas and when they PERSPECTIVE trips were 12 hours! ROSS FILIPO’S CAREER SNAPSHOT return home. Players are I knew what to expect with my second trip ■ Super Rugby titles – 4 ■ French Top 14 encouraged to touch to France so took my open mind. They have a Championship base with Tim before they teacher-student hierarchy so you just do your ■ Ranfurly Shield – with head overseas to receive Wellington job. You don’t say much just get on with it. Racing ■ End of Year Grand Slam useful information and ROSS FILIPO PLAYING OVERSEAS Metro want to play like a Kiwi team so they are New Zealanders at ■ Tri Nations title connect with other players ■ Maori beating the more receptive to input. Racing Metro. British Lions in 2005 who can assist with their a contract with Bayonne because I had a a French speaking school. He was treated They want to implement new ideas and grow transitioning experience. six-month old baby. Moving away from our differently as he was the only foreigner. the club. I found by doing extras at the end the term contract just take bare minimum. Think of This service is for both players going overseas and support network when you are learning how Things got lost in translation. It was hard coaches would watch and learn. You can indirectly what you need to survive and halve it. With kids those returning. For more to become a parent was the biggest factor. for us as parents to see him go through this influence things by showing things instead of you naturally accumulate a lot of stuff so keep information email Tim. ON THE LANGUAGE BARRIER challenging experience. In a child’s life a year telling them. Once you gain their trust they ask you trimming the fat. When it comes time to leave give more questions. it to other people with kids or donate it to charity. [email protected] or The language was a big barrier in that area seems to go on for ages. Outside of school, call 0800 PLAYER. of France at the time in 2009. They were we tried to make the kids have lots of cool As we were in Paris we flew everywhere and it I gave a bag of my kit to a homeless guy on the staunch, you either spoke French or didn’t experiences, so we tried to show them as made a big difference compared with the hell bus street because it was so cold. I wanted to give it to THE NZRPA Rugby trips from my first time. someone who needed it. Ross with Neemia Tialata [L] and speak at all. You had to try to speak the much of the Paris history and culture as we Club for retired Dan Carter [R] 2007. language. It was tough going initially without could. We took them to away to get first- On the plus side it was good to have other Kiwis STOP AND ENJOY IT professional any prior practice. I would strongly advise hand history experiences like visiting Rome. in other teams you play. Every week you would run Try and stand back and take it all in. You get to do players OSS FILIPO KNOWS A THING OR anyone going overseas where they speak There were some real highs and some lows. into people you had played with or against. It was something that a lot of people only dream off. Take The NZRPA are working to TWO ABOUT PLAYING RUGBY IN a foreign language to take some lessons Apart from our son’s experience like everyone had moved to Europe. The year was time with the kids and the partner to absorb it – it establish a thriving network of retired New Zealand DIFFERENT TEAMS. HE HAS PLAYED before you go. everything was fantastic. Because Louise capped off winning the Top 14 Championship. is pretty special. R At Wasps the coaching staff changed while I TRANSITIONING BACK TO NEW ZEALAND Professional Rugby Players FOR 12 DIFFERENT TEAMS INCLUDING ON THE FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE and I had a better understanding of what we was there so you had to get use to another coach After coming back from Racing Metro, I went to across the country to provide Things like setting up a family doctor and were heading into we could make it a better facebook.com/NZRPA THE ALL BLACKS, JUNIOR ALL BLACKS, camaraderie, networking, support MAORI ALL BLACKS, CHIEFS, CRUSADERS, your day to day stuff was hard. At that time experience for the kids. and his new set up, which was to be expected. Hawke's Bay and played for the Magpies. I felt good My wife and I were ready to come home so we when I came home and I kept playing. I was still and advice. There are a series of WELLINGTON, HAWKE'S BAY AND international players were not as common ON CLUBS AND EXPECTATIONS events held across New Zealand decided to come home a year early as we had playing well. I didn’t enjoy the new laws but was MARLBOROUGH. HE HAS PLAYED IN FRANCE but now clubs have more support with the It really depends on the club. If the club for the past players alumni so they FOR RACING METRO AND BAYONNE, AND IN influx of foreign players. is well organised for foreigners it makes been away three years and I went back to the glad to get the opportunity to play in Mitre 10 cup can connect, network and share ENGLAND FOR THE WASPS. It was hard for my wife Louise. When we it easier. So I would recommend you Lions in Wellington. From there on to the Chiefs at 37. I am going to keep fit because you never stories. The 37-year-old says: “I feel extremely arrived I had only been there two days and investigate what sort of support the club picked me up and the rest history. [Ross won a know what is around the corner. To register for the NZRPA Rugby grateful for the amount of growth you get I was off on a two-week rugby camp. For has for foreigners. Be straight up when you championship.] However it is time to get a job and get back into Club database please send your out of the experiences of playing overseas, that two weeks Louise was on her own and ask questions as the goal posts do change, FINANCIAL TIPS the real world. I enjoyed coaching. I coach a club details to Tim.Weston@nzrpa. the history and culture your family get to it was left up to the other foreign wives to so you have to be flexible and roll with Make sure you save as much as you can. Have a side called Hamilton Marist and took them to a co.nz experience and the people you meet make it help her but it was fair to say to we were shell whatever comes. You can feel quite isolated good experience but try and set yourself up for club title three-peat, so I have the bug for coaching @nzrpa a very special time.” shocked. at times. You naturally gravitate to the other your return home. The rugby career is so short, so but just have to explore my options. However, the lock also admits it is not We had come from the Crusaders with a foreigners. You do build strong relationships make the most of it. You don’t need the newest The kids settled back into New Zealand life really Business partners always as easy as it sounds playing overseas huge support network to the other end of the with these people as you are living in a of everything, you are better off planning for the well and are happy to be home. scale. In saying that, the second time round bubble together. future for post rugby. Money buys you time for I am supporting my wife in her endeavours and there are plenty of challenges along nzrugbyplayersassoc the way. was so much easier. I was lucky I had people like Dan Carter when you come back as it takes a while to get as she has supported me for so long which I am Ross thought he’d retired from rugby We did talk about just me going but as it and Casey Laulala from the Crusaders, Chris yourself sorted again when you get back. extremely grateful for. It is a team effort and now however he got an SOS call from the injury was for a whole year I didn’t want to miss out Masoe from Wellington, Ben Tameifuna who MOVING TIPS it is time for her to pursue her goals while I work ravaged Chiefs so went back as injury cover. on that. A massive amount of credit has to I played with at the Chiefs and Joe Rokocoko Don’t accumulate too much stuff. If it is a short- quietly behind the scenes to establish a career.