KEY POINTS:
Shontayne Hape wanted to play rugby union so much, he paid for his own release from the Bradford Bulls.
The 27-year-old had two months left on his Bradford contract - more if they made the playoffs - but was determined to get to Bath for pre-season training to
give him the best chance of making a successful switch to rugby union.
At first, Bradford weren't keen when Hape asked for an early release.
"It came down to money," he says. "I had to pay a fee to leave.
"It only meant staying [at Bradford] for another nine games but I thought for my development I needed to be in Bath in the off-season to learn the new rules and come to grips with the game.
"It's something I really want to try and I need to be there early. I didn't want to come halfway through the year."
Hape is not the first rugby league player to make the switch and one of the last has been a valuable sounding board.
Hape's former Bradford and Kiwis team-mate Lesley Vainikolo joined top Guinness Premiership side Gloucester last year and has alreadyplayed five tests for England in the Six Nations.
Hape was coy on whether he would follow Vainikolo's lead and consider playing for England if he got the chance, given he would qualify on residency grounds.
"I don't know. I'm not thinking that far down the track," he says, borrowing a favourite cliche used by sportsmen. "I just want to establish myself as a regular for Bath. If that happens, I will think about it from there, but I want to make an impact."
The powerful centre, who played 14 tests for the Kiwis from 2004 to last year's disastrous tour of the UK and France, is being talked about as a possible replacement in the centres for England's Olly Barkley, who joined Gloucester at the end of last season.
It's a change Hape has been thinking about for some time. It first came to light last year and gathered pace as Northampton and then Bath circled for his signature.
He plays his final game for Bradford tonight (NZT) against Hull KR at Bradford's Grattan Stadium, a place that has been his home for the past six seasons. There will be a small presentation at the final whistle before Hape says his goodbyes.
There have been good times; two Super League titles, a Challenge Cup victory and two World Club Challenge titles attest to that and he was even named last year in Bradford's Team of the Century. It was for these reasons, he knew it was time to move on even with the rugby league World Cup around the corner.
"It's going to be sad, emotional [playing my last game]," he says, "but on the flipside it's exciting because it's the closing of my rugby league career.
"I feel like it's time for a change, time for a new challenge. I have been at Bradford for six years now and I feel I've achieved everything I want to in the game so I thought I would give rugby a crack. At the end of every year, you sit down and write down what you want to achieve. For me it's getting a bit too repetitive.
"I'm only 27 so now is the right time. I want to go to rugby and give it my best shot. I didn't want to not try it and then later on in life regret not giving it a go. I have always had a desire to play rugby, even when I was growing up in New Zealand."
He played a handful of games for the Massey High School 1st XV and also played sevens with All Blacks wing Anthony Tuitavake.
A year after leaving school, in 1999, he signed with the then Auckland Warriors and was the club's Rookie of the Year in his debut season in 2000. He then helped the Warriors reach the playoffs for the first time in 2001 but a serious knee injury ruled him out for most of their successful 2002 season.
Hape knows it will take time to adjust to rugby union and there will be considerable interest in whether he can make a successful transition.
Bath, who were the powerhouses of English rugby in the 1980s and '90s, have a tradition of recruiting rugby league players after picking up Jason Robinson and Chev Walker, and Henry Paul also had a stint there.
Vainikolo has given Hape a simple piece of advice - remember to release the ball in the tackle.
After getting his release from Bradford, this one should be a little easier.