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Groomed for sporting greatness as a Social Sciences student at UCT, Nic Groom was faced with an agonising choice as his rugby career crossed the try-line from amateur to pro.
Should he stay the course and complete his studies, giving him a professional qualification to fall back on after the game, or should he devote himself full-time to the all-consuming demands of life in the DHL Stormers and Western Province line-up? Easy. He chose both.
His perseverance has paid off, and today this powerhouse scrum-half boasts two Currie Cup victories and a tertiary education. He’s come a long way from his Ikey days – “playing on a Wednesday night in front of three people and a dog” – to running out in the striped jersey in front of a raucous crowd at Newlands.
But for Nic, it’s all part of the thrill of the game, and the way the bounce of the ball can change you for life. He took time out to chat with David O’Sullivan, as part of our series on the DHL and Western Province players who proudly sport the BrightRock logo.
Nic, you tasted success in rugby at a relatively early age – the Varsity Cup in 2011. At what stage in your life did you realise rugby was something you could do for a living?
I was always really passionate about rugby throughout school. Straight after school I went to the Western Province Institute where we spent a year training and living like professionals. And I guess it was from there … I didn’t make any sides, but I always believed I had what it took to make it. Even when I wasn’t getting selected. I went to varsity and had a big role to play in the Varsity Cup and managed to get a look in there, and from there on … From that exposure I got invited to Western Province under 21 trials, and all of a sudden, there I was playing the under 21 Currie Cup, where the year before I couldn’t make the under 19 side. Through that year we had a very good year, we won the tournament and I ended up getting my first contract. That’s when the moment sort of hit.
Can you remember the moment when you were told that you were now going to play … Represent Western Province or represent the Stormers in a big game?
Ja, definitely. The Stormers – my first Stormers game was 2011, against the Cheetahs, away. I sort of was part of the furniture – there was two experienced guys ahead of me and I was rather young, but I have been training with them for a while, so in the back of your mind you always want that opportunity, and when it comes there is that sense of, like, oh my word, here we go. I just remember having breakfast at the airport with my folks and it was quite a surreal moment. I was saying Cheers and I was actually going to go and represent the Stormers. It was a good memory and something I look back on, and I was just really fortunate to have had that opportunity.
Talk to me about the Change in rugby, from playing Varsity Cup level to playing Super Rugby … Physically, how different are those games?
Ja, obviously Super Rugby has a huge physical demand – not only that. It’s week in, week out you’ve got to play against the best teams in the world. The travel element – it all sort of … You know, this whole Super Rugby product is much more taxing than anything I’ve ever played in before. The speed of the game is also very fast, compared to Varsity Cup or any of the junior levels. I noticed I needed to make a distinct improvement in my skill and my fitness to be able to keep up and to be able to make a difference in the game. I think for me, I was very determined not to just be a normal Super Rugby player, but to actually contribute and make a difference and have an influence over games and someone of influence in my team. So a Big Change, but the hard word went into taking it a step up. So …
What’s the change like in terms of dealing with the pressure of playing Super Rugby where you’ve got a TV audience?
Ja, well look, I mean, playing for UCT you go from playing on a Wednesday night in front of three people and a dog to a packed Newlands. Obviously with that, we are in the social media age where there is so much conversation around rugby and sport and players and decisions and results. So that is something I definitely had to learn how to deal with. I think initially as a young player, it was something that I didn’t have a healthy relationship with, where I spent maybe too much time paying attention to that stuff, but now I like to think that I’ve matured and I’ve sort of learned from that. I just … You know … All the sort of media stuff and everything else that goes with professional rugby I kind of tend to laugh off now. It’s not that important.
You’re a rare beast in professional rugby in that you’ve got a tertiary education. Is that because you want something else to fall back on when your rugby career ultimately will come to an end – later, rather than sooner, but some time in your 30s?
Well, initially when I left the institute I was going to go study because I wasn’t a professional. My next thing was to go and get a degree and … After that start working and … At that stage had no real sort of idea or no real desire … Well I always had the desire, but I had no real inclination as to whether I would become a professional or not. It was just the … The next most important thing in my life was to get into class. And during my first year I got brought up to the under 21s and I was playing as an uncontracted player. And once I got the news that I was going to be a professional rugby player, full time, I just made the decision that I would keep up with my studies and I had to make one or two adjustments, like to hold back a few subjects a semester, but I was very determined to finish that degree, because rugby isn’t just so final. Your day could be around the corner, so being prepared for that day whenever it may be is also something I think is really important.
Are you the type of person that can adapt to change, when you look at the way your career has gone. You had the captaincy as well … Those responsibilities on your shoulders. How are you able to adapt to change and anticipate change and work with change?
I think perspective for me is a key thing. A lot of the times guys get put into high pressure situations and they can fold. I just tend to look at it as I’m here for a specific reason. I’m definitely good enough, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. There’s just nothing to be scared off, and having that fearless approach has really helped me to deal with change. I don’t let it get the better of me, rather just have a go at it head on. In other times in my career I have had to change the way I’ve played due to certain game plans, conditions, going from an under 21 rugby player to a senior rugby player … If you don’t have certain skills, you’re going to be found out. So I’ve had to change and really work hard to become a more sort of well-rounded player, so there’s been a lot of change in my style and my play and my style of thinking and style of training.
Finally, let’s just look at some of the big moments in your career so far. I would imagine that Currie Cup victories might loom large?
Ja, obviously. I’m lucky enough to have won two Currie Cups. A very great rugby of mine was that 2011 Varsity Cup final, I must say, in Pretoria. Just the bunch of people involved in that campaign was something really special and still are in my life. And then the Currie Cup 2012 in Durban, we rocked up with an extremely, offensively young team. Away. And we ended up winning. That was something special. I had my old man in the stands, as well seeing him afterwards was also the cherry on top. So that memory is not going to go anywhere soon. And a whole other experience was having the final at Newlands in 2013 – I think it was the first time in 11 years that we won at Newlands and having a full house screaming for Province and us actually going ahead and doing the job was also another great memory that I won’t forget.
Well with the BrightRock logo on your jersey for 2016, we hope you have many more memories. Nic, it’s been great chatting to you. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. Cheers.
- This interview first appeared on the Change Exchange, an online platform by BrightRock, provider of the first-ever life insurance that changes as your life changes. The opinions expressed in in it don’t necessarily reflect the views of BrightRock.
