The Buzz

Brendon McCullum goes back to rugby

Back in the day, Brendon McCullum was very good at rugby. Now, at 36, he's trying his hand at it once again

AFP

AFP

A young Brendon McCullum once famously kept out future All Blacks star Dan Carter from a South Island secondary schools rugby team. He was that good at the sport. Then, he chose cricket. Now, after much success in playing for and captaining his country's cricket team and retiring from the game, he's back to trying his hand at rugby.
McCullum, who played for King's High School first XV back in the day, made a comeback on Sunday, aged 36, at fullback for United Matamata Sports B. The club was playing a local derby against Hinuera B. "It was meant to be a bit of a soft entry from a contact point of view, but that was never going to happen given it was a local derby," McCullum reportedly told Radio Live. "I had to get through that first tackle and it may have been a little bit late, but it wasn't too bad."
Some New Zealand media outlets reported McCullum might have picked up groin trouble during his 60-minute stint. Here's hoping that this will not keep him from continuing to lunge at balls with the signature enthusiasm and vigour he has brought to sports fields everywhere these many years. Be it in cricket or rugby.