Sun, surf and a wedding on the cards for Jack Goodhue

Jack Goodhue with fiancée Sophia Eblett on the family farm in Kawakawa. Photo / Supplied

Hitting the beach, learning to surf and planning a wedding - they're all on the cards for the All Black from Northland with the most talked-about hair.

Jack Goodhue is taking some well-deserved time out to "reassess and reset" following his Rugby World Cup debut in Japan, where his mullet made an outstanding number of headlines.

Goodhue, 24, returned to New Zealand on November 5 after fulfilling his childhood dream of playing in a world cup wearing the black jersey.

Speaking from Auckland, where he is visiting his fiancée's family before heading back to his base in Christchurch, the 24-year-old centre is focused on "freshening up and catching up on some extra sleep".

Jack Goodhue receives some ribbing from assistant coach Ian Foster over his hairstyle during an All Blacks press conference in Tokyo, Japan. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"Naturally there's a bit of a low after the big occasion but I feel good and focused on enjoying a break and spending a bit of time at the beach," Goodhue said.

"The whole occasion was very tough and challenging but I really enjoyed it. That's what I've been thinking about since I was a kid, the opportunity to play in a world cup and the chance to win. Yes, it's disappointing not to have won but that was my goal when it came down to it, to play for the All Blacks and play for a world cup."

Born and raised in Kawakawa, Goodhue said his Christian faith and perspective on the situation - whereby he tries not to be consumed by being an All Black or let it define who he is - enabled him to handle the pressure. But he admits there are times when it can be daunting.

"Tokyo was quite overwhelming, especially from a kid that came from Kawakawa. When I first started travelling, I couldn't get my head around how big some of these cities are and the amount of people, but it's something I've become accustomed to and now I enjoy that side of it."

His mullet has certainly been a talking point of the tour, with his claims it makes him run faster making headlines in New Zealand and around the world.

He received ribbing from assistant coach Ian Foster over his hairstyle during an All Blacks press conference, and it was dubbed "feathered and lethal" by the Rugby World Cup on social media.

All Blacks centre Jack Goodhue finds a gap against the Irish in the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Tokyo Stadium, Japan. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It was even endorsed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who wrote on Instagram after the All Blacks thrashed Ireland: "That's a brilliant win ... for the All Blacks and mullets everywhere."

"It's a bit of fun, and it was good to have a few laughs at some of the media conferences," Goodhue said.

"It might get a bit too much attention for what it is sometimes. It's just a haircut but if it makes people laugh then it's doing its job."

Goodhue made his Super Rugby debut in 2017 and took to the field for the first time as an All Black in the 28-23 victory against France XV the same year. He made his test debut against France last year.

He played four matches during the Rugby World Cup in Japan including the 46-14 quarter-final victory over Ireland, and the fateful semifinal match against England at International Stadium in Yokohama.

Though he didn't play in the bronze-medal match against Wales, he said it was "good to watch Ryan [Crotty] and Sonny [Bill Williiams] finish their impressive careers with the All Blacks. It was a privilege to be in the crowd and watch them."

Beating Ireland was a massive highlight, he said, as was playing in stadiums which were not advantaged by being a home team.

"And the Japanese fans were awesome. The neutral crowd was cool too ... you're not playing the home team, you had both teams getting equal support which made for a fun game."

The All Blacks totally embraced local culture during their stay, lining up after every game to thank the crowd with a bow.

And though he was there to work not play, Goodhue appreciated Japanese culture off the field too, enjoying ramen and sushi with his teammates.

"All the boys love a bit of Japanese food," he said. "You can't fault the Japanese, they're really respectful and polite people."

He was also grateful for the support of his parents and sister, and his fiancée, 22-year-old Sophia Eblett, who joined him in Japan for the quarter-final and semifinals.

He and Eblett are now in the process of planning their wedding, following Goodhue's proposal on the family farm in Kawakawa.

The pair went to the same school at Mt Albert Grammar in Auckland and got back in touch with each other a couple of years ago.

Eblett is a student of natural medicine and nutrition and the pair, who are based in Christchurch, share a love of the outdoors, walking, and a firm religious faith.

Though they haven't set a date or location they're looking at wedding venues in Northland.

"I'd like a Northland wedding, it's a beautiful place, and my family is there," Goodhue said.

"We've looked at a few places, there's a place in Kerikeri we're considering."

Goodhue said he'll be "doing my own thing", training at the gym and getting out for some running until January 13, when he goes back to play Super Rugby with the Crusaders.

Though keen to get back into full training soon, he's aware of the need to rest after such an intense physical and mental stint overseas.

"It takes a toll on the body. Every day you're switched on and really pushing the body most days of the week. When you're doing heavy weights and impact at training and games it gets quite sore and stiff. I'd like to give it time to naturally heal and loosen up again."

He's also keen to play another world cup wearing the black jersey: "I can definitely see myself playing in the next one".

And as for the million-dollar question of whether he'll keep his now famous hairdo for the wedding - he's still weighing that up.

"We'll have to wait and see."