The Eastern Southland kid ready to step onto rugby's biggest stage
At 21 test matches and at 25 years old, Ethan de Groot has already laid the foundations on the way to becoming one of Southland’s all-time great All Blacks.
There’s an Ethan de Groot story I do enjoy retelling.
It dates back to his schoolboy days. He had attended Gore High School before joining Southland Boys’ High School for his final year at school in 2016.
de Groot was playing for the Southland Boys’ first XV at the Les George Oval on the outskirts of Invercargill.
He dislocated his shoulder in that game before popping it back in. The young prop had ongoing shoulder problems in his youth. We’ll swing back to that in a bit.
Quite rightly his SBHS first XV coach Peter Skelt was concerned.
The next day Skelt phoned de Groot to check in on how he had pulled up 24 hours on.
After all, de Groot had been in a lot of pain the day before.
de Groot didn’t answer the call. His mother Nikkila did.
She advised Skelt that de Groot wasn’t home. Instead, he was away with the handpiece crutching sheep.
Skelt was one part surprised. Before he phoned he had pictured de Groot sitting on the couch with his arm in a sling, rather than out crutching.
Although in another part, Skelt actually wasn’t all that surprised.
Skelt has seen hundreds of rugby players pass through the SBHS first XV during his three-decade-long involvement as a coach.
He ranks de Groot right up there, in regard to playing and training toughness. Skelt has previously pointed to de Groot’s absolute desire to get better as being his key strength.
There have been, and will continue to be, more talented players pass through the Southland junior rugby system. Although there might not be many more who possess that willingness to roll their sleeves up as de Groot has shown on his way to a prized black jersey.
That time de Groot was crutching sheep 24 hours after dislocating his shoulder highlighted his toughness. However, it was also a time in his career when there was some genuine concern about his shoulder troubles.
He missed his first season out of school because of shoulder problems. Not ideal for a young prop.
But by the next year - 2018 - he was back playing, this time for the Blues club. Club rugby was followed by his debut NPC season with the Southland Stags.
In 2019 he won a Galbraith Shield title in Southland with the Blues club before he had yet another injury setback to deal with.
Two rounds into his second NPC campaign he dislocated his kneecap ruling him out of the bulk of the 2019 provincial season.
At the time he was an apprentice builder and others who might go through similar setback after setback might have thrown their hands up and thought this rugby gig is not for me.
But at 22 de Groot had developed a pretty wise and smart outlook on things. With hindsight as our friend, you wonder if his patience - or as he calls it stubbornness - has in fact got him to where he is now.
During that ongoing frustrating run of injuries, de Groot told me this during an interview: “I'm pretty stubborn when it comes to injuries. I know it's best to take your time and make sure your rehab properly.”
That he did.
de Groot should be proud of what he’s achieved. It hasn’t been served up to him like breakfast in bed.
He’s had to work very hard for it.
The Southland rugby community in general should also be proud.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a special group of people to help raise an All Black.
It might be unfair to list names because of the risk of omitting key people.
The Highlanders organisation certainly does deserve kudos for what has actually been a rapid rise when it comes to the world as a prop.
A fellow former Southland All Black loosehead prop, Clarke Dermody, has been in the thick of that.
Despite having very little NPC experience, because of those injuries, the Highlanders decision-makers spotted something in de Groot very early on.
To the surprise of some, the Highlanders contracted de Groot for the 2020 Super Rugby season on the back of just a handful of games with the Stags.
It was a smart move. A Year later de Groot was the Highlanders’ first-choice loosehead prop and following that Super campaign he came off the bench against Fiji to make his All Black debut in Dunedin.
Fast forward a couple of years and de Groot is now the All Blacks’ first-choice loosehead prop. He is also days away from playing in a World Cup final against South Africa.
de Groot has the chance on Sunday morning to become the first Southland All Black to win a World Cup final.
Jimmy Cowan was part of the 2011 All Blacks squad that won the World Cup in New Zealand, but he wasn’t included in the 23 for the final against France at Eden Park.
At 21 test matches and at 25 years old, de Groot has already laid the foundations on the way to becoming one of Southland’s all-time great All Blacks.
A win on Sunday, with a good showing, would certainly start to firm that up.
All up Southland has had 58 All Blacks, from Nisbet McRobie in 1896 to de Groot’s debut in 2021.
Cowan is the sole Southland All Black who has played 50 tests - 53 to be precise.
Another Mataura halfback, Justin Marshall, played 81 tests for the All Blacks, including four as captain.
Jeff Wilson, another great Southland-born All Black of the modern era, played 60.
We shouldn’t forget All Black centurion Mils Muliaina either, another Southland product in the legends bracket when it comes to New Zealand rugby.
However, all three left the province to fulfill their ambition, plying their trade in Canterbury, Otago, and Auckland respectively during their time as an All Black.
Where will de Groot end up in Southland rugby folklore? Only time will tell.
What we do know is there are many in the deep south who have that proud sort of feeling at the moment as they prepare to watch de Groot play in a World Cup final.
From those who were there for his first representative game for the Eastern sub-union as a 10-year-old in 2008, to those who helped him take his baby steps into professional rugby with the Southland Stags.
Albion-Excelsior in Gore, Blues in Invercargill, and even the Riversdale Rugby Club, should all enjoy this moment.
He played his junior rugby for Albion-Excelsior, his senior club rugby for Blues, and learned some valuable lessons at Riversdale.
While at Gore High School de Groot would train with his school team before heading to train with the Riversdale senior team to get some added work in.
There is another piece to why de Groot’s rise to playing in a World Cup final has been so special - well for those who watch test matches through maroon-tinted glasses anyway.
It has been de Groot’s willingness to acknowledge his rugby roots.
Soon after his debut, he gifted his All Blacks jersey to Southland Boys’ High School.
Days after being a surprise omission from the All Blacks last year he turned out for his Blues club in Southland at Oreti Park.
During a very rare weekend off this year, he travelled to Invercargill to run the water for the Stags in a National Provincial Championship game against Northland.
He has also flown the Southland flag proudly at global press conferences.
When the All Blacks were in Washington DC for a test against United States in 2021 de Groot was asked by the media about getting the chance to tour around the US city.
"Yeah, the old Washington Monument. She's no brown trout,'' de Groot said with a deadpan approach, alluding to the brown trout statue in his hometown of Gore.
Soon after being named in the All Blacks de Groot - who is usually a man of few words - made a public plea to Southland youngsters and parents who may be weighing up a move away to further their rugby prospects.
“I would like to think I’ve inspired parents and kids to stay in Southland and do their schooling in Southland,” he said.
“There is a pathway. It is tough and you’re not in the limelight, but it can be done.
“A lot of parents send their kids away out of the province to do their schooling and then they go on from there, but hopefully I’ve inspired some people to stick to their roots. It can be done.”
Since that comment, his old school Southland Boys’ has become the national first XV champions for the first time. It’s another moment de Groot latched onto while speaking at a press conference in the early stages of the World Cup.
“I’m stoked for them. Real proud of that effort,” he said.
“I went to Top 4 for Southland Boys’ when I was at school and we went up against those Auckland teams and got pumped.
“To see those guys go up there and win it all, I’m extremely proud. Up the Royal Blue.”
Up the All Blacks, and Up Ethan de Groot. Southland is right behind you.
Fantastic story of a young man’s passion and drive to succeed .So proud that we have a Southlander and All Black that is happy to stay and affiliate with Southland
Great story. Shows the hard hard work that goes into any player looking to get to the pinnacle of pulling on the AB jersey. Especially up in the engine room of the scrum. They all have a story behind them, I can remember a pretty handy player on the way to becoming an AB player with a famous Southland name playing out at Wrights Bush and after the game pulling on a pair of tennis shoes and running back to Invercargill. Won't be long before we see his grandson in Maroon.
Also saw Frank Oliver being asked if he could pick up a huge tractor tyre after a game at Milton for Toko. Didn't just pick it up he put it end over end to the other end of the paddock.
The physicality of the game today is mind blowing. Wings that weigh in over 100kgs running at you at speed would be akin to taking park in the running of the bulls in Spain. You just know its going to hurt.
I hope they look after Ethan and he will have a long career in the black jersey