The King has returned to the Blues and he's ready to rock and roll at this weekend's Brisbane rugby Tens.
Former All Black and Blues rugby player Carlos Spencer making a comeback for the Blues at the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens. Photo: © Copyright Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photosport Ltd 2017
The former All Black first-five Carlos Spencer is pulling the boots back on for his old Super Rugby side at the age of 42, and as rugby reporter Joe Porter writes, the Waiopehu Weapon is ready to fire.
It's Lancaster Park in 2004, the Blues are leading the Crusaders by two points with less than a minute left, Carlos Spencer fires an audacious skip pass on his own goal line, Joe Rokococo breaks and Spencer scores the try, dotting down in the far corner even though he could of scored under the posts.
Carlos Spencer runs away for that famous try against the Crusaders in 2004. Just before nailing the sideline conversion and giving the Christchurch crowd the 'up yours'. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He then nails the sideline conversion, before flipping the Christchurch crowd the bird.
"Ahahaha mate aw don't bring that up hahaha, I get reminded enough as it is hahaha," Spencer said.
While he might not want to relive that night, rugby fans will never forget, including Spencer's former All Black team-mate Christian Cullen.
"You've got to rub it in you know because the Canterbury crowd was giving him stick and then giving him stick when he scored in the corner and he would have been pretty close to them on the sideline there and then just put the nail in the old coffin and give it the old finger. I mean how good is it? It's pretty good to watch."
Blues player Carlos Spencer hugs the Hurricanes' Christian Cullen after the match between the Hurricanes and the Blues, 22 February, 2002. Photo: © Photosport Ltd www.photosport.nz
Cullen said Spencer is one of a kind.
"What would any other first-five do in that position? I know what most of them would do, they'd kick it out they wouldn't throw it across their goalposts. It's one of those things that only one man in New Zealand rugby at that time could do. He has massive confidence and massive belief in his skills and he's always had that. I remember playing with and against him in schoolboy stuff and college stuff and he was just the same back then."
Spencer guided the Blues to their last Super Rugby triumph in 2003 before departing the franchise in 2005.
The Blues coach Tana Umaga. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
All Black captain, Tana Umaga shares a joke with Carlos Spencer. Team naming, 2004. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Blues coach Tana Umaga, Spencer's former All Black captain, said the man who made women want toffee pops again, has been putting some of the Blues current players to shame.
"I mistook him for one of my players because he looks in great condition. He tested well this week, he's looking good. A legend of our club and all the players are loving having him in and their nervously mumbling around him and that."
and Umaga believes having someone of Carlos' calibre around is a boon for the team.
Adrian Cashmore and Carlos Spencer celebrate the win, Super Rugby final between the Blues and Sharks at Eden Park, May 1996. Copyright photo: www.photosport.nz Photo: © Photosport Ltd www.photosport.nz
"Those kinds of things are priceless, when you can have someone of his experience and his pedigree to be around and pass things on. If you know Los (Spencer) it's casual conversations, showing the players they usually see on TV or on walls or posters, just to talk to him, I think is an experience in itself."
Cullen echoes those sentiments, he said the Levin raised Spencer was an inspiration to young players from small town New Zealand.
"I played schoolboy stuff with him and he was one of the kids that played for Horowhenua-Kapiti when he was young. Then he went to Auckland and did the big move to Auckland and I guess gave us guys coming out of places like Horowhenua what we could do and where we could go. He just had no fear, that's what I loved about him he just tried anything, behind the back kicks, banana kicks, the knee kicks, no look passes, he was fearless."
The Hurricanes Tens captain and star wing Julian Savea, who's hoping for a big year to force his way back into the All Blacks, can't wait to see one of his childhood idols in action.
"I really liked the way he played, just a lot of confidence and trust in his skills to do whatever he wants. I definitely looked up to him and loved watching how he played. Knowing Carlos he's a flashy player so we've just got to look out for that."
Julian Savea celebrates a try. Photo: Photosport
Though Savea said getting shown up by a 42 year old is something the young guns will be avoiding at all costs.
"Nah no-one wants that hahaha! My advice would be don't fall for any dummies and if he's got the ball just get him."
As for Spencer himself, he's slightly nervous how his now slighter frame will cope against the modern day rugby brawn.
"The biggest challenge is going to be the physical side, tackling and taking contact again. I managed to do a little bit of contact with the boys this week, a bit of wrestling, and I felt that the next day that's for sure. So the contact's going to be the biggest challenge, which I've never liked anyway hahaha."
For one weekend only, King Carlos is back.
-RNZ
