Cashmore back among friends

By CHRIS RATTUE

Fizzing. That's the Adrian Cashmore who emerged as Bay of Plenty prepared for their Ranfurly Shield challenge tomorrow.

Cashmore, once a mainstay of Auckland and Blues rugby, will return to Eden Park for the first time since completing a three-year stint in Japan.

This trip down memory lane has, he admits, caused minor angst, but Cashmore is a man on a mission of enjoyment - determined to make the most of whatever happens to be left of his playing career.

Age and a less-than-inspiring overseas rugby experience have galvanised rather than wearied him. The big-money contracts may have gone, but his enthusiasm certainly has not.

The 31-year-old couldn't be more delighted to be back home, playing for the province where his career started, and putting a tie on each day as a real estate agent.

Cashmore was an integral part of an Auckland side that was a provincial great, which also - with a lick of paint - turned into the first Super 12 heavyweight as the Blues.

He was regarded as one of the good blokes around that scene, with an affable nature that transferred into composure, effortless goalkicking and smooth attacking verve on the field.

The only trouble for Cashmore was that a freakish character called Christian Cullen had a parallel career on the go. Cullen's presence helped limit Cashmore to replacement test appearances against Scotland at Eden Park and Australia in Melbourne - both of them won - and he was ruled out of the historic 1996 tour to South Africa by injury. Definitely a "what-if" test career.

Still, "Cash" carved out a huge place in Auckland and Blues history - which makes his appearance for Bay of Plenty tomorrow a touch disconcerting.

"I've been thinking about that ... It's mixed emotions I guess," says Cashmore, who lives in Mt Maunganui.

"The Auckland union and all the people there were fantastic, and I've still got many friends in Auckland. It's going to be a bit funny running out there but I'm looking forward to it."

Like his great mate Charles Riechelmann, who also played for Toyota, Cashmore loved Japan but wasn't enamoured with the rugby.

However, he still sought a new Toyota contract this year - for the money - but sounds almost relieved he got a rejection slip.

"It's been fantastic coming back, fitting into the professional environment and doing the full circle, back with the Bay," he says.

"There was stuff that went on up there with the management that wasn't good. The environment wasn't good for playing rugby."

Despite Auckland's interest, it was back to the Bay for Cashmore, who was born in Tokoroa but brought up in Tauranga.

Steamers coach Vern Cotter had got wind of his return and contacted Cashmore in Japan. When nothing came of tentative European offers, including from Newcastle, Cashmore took the plunge to return.

He was encouraged by the growth around Tauranga and his father - former Bay of Plenty back and chairman Richard Cashmore - owns a real estate business, which offered a career outside of the game.

It's is Cashmore's first "proper" job since a half-hearted stint as a courier driver when he moved to play for Auckland.

Cashmore's wife, Kylie, is also in on the real estate business, which helps Cashmore devote the necessary time to training.

And although Cashmore didn't exactly return with trumpets blaring, it has been quite a homecoming.

He was called into the Chiefs and got to play the final 15 minutes in their semifinal loss to the Brumbies in Canberra - instantly showing the clever touches of old.

He toured with the New Zealand Maori in Canada - playing with what was later found to be a fractured hand - and will kick off his NPC return with a shield challenge at Eden Park.

"I was on a real high - to slot straight into the professional scene with the Chiefs," he said.

"Ian Foster [Chiefs coach] really surprised me at the first training I went to. It was all over in 50 minutes.

"In Japan you train for two and a half to three hours and after that they throw in 10 x 400m runs, and it's like 35 degrees."

His last shield game - defeat against Waikato at Eden Park in 1997 - fails to retain a place in his memory bank. But he quickly recalls Auckland thumping Canterbury (35-0) and Waikato (27-7) to win the log o' wood in 1995 and 1996.

"I think the Ranfurly Shield will bring out something special in the Bay side. We've got nothing to lose.

"People were saying on talkback the other day that the Ranfurly Shield had lost it's standard. I think this weekend will probably show those people they're wrong."

ADRIAN CASHMORE

Age: 31

Born: Tokoroa

College: Tauranga Boys

Tests: 2 (1996,97)

Super 12 games: Blues (1996 - 2000) 47, Chiefs (2004) 1

Provincial games: BoP 11, Auckland 73

Points: BoP 150

Clubs: Tauranga Sports, Grammar (Auckland), Toyota (Japan).

NZ rep: Sec schools, under-19s, Colts, Maori, A, 7s

Titles: NPC 1995, 96; Super 12 1996, 97

NPC points table

NPC fixtures