Rugby: Shock omission suggests Gear change

Hosea Gear. Photo / Getty Images

Hosea Gear may pursue a playing career overseas after his shock omission from the All Blacks World Cup squad.

The Wellington wing said yesterday that missing the final cut was tough to swallow and he would decide on his future in the next few weeks.

"Obviously, you know, pretty disappointed, pretty gutted," he said.

"So I guess it's where to from here for me and it's a matter of sitting down with the family and thinking about the future.

"I'd like to get back in [the All Blacks], but from experience I've sort of been in and out and I'm not getting any younger now and I've got a young family that I've got to think about and take care of.

"If you miss out on the All Blacks, financially that's a massive loss that you're making, which you could be getting overseas as well."

With his partner, Kate, expecting twins in three weeks, Gear joked he would have another role come World Cup time "so I'm out of one job and straight into the next".

The 27-year-old Hurricane said he had not had any offers from Northern Hemisphere clubs because he had been focusing on the World Cup.

He has attracted interest from the Highlanders for next year's Super 15, although the Hurricanes want to keep him.

Gear's older brother Rico suffered a similar fate when he was left out of the squad for the 2007 tournament and Hosea said he had spoken to his older sibling for advice on how to deal with the disappointment.

"I guess one saying from him is 'once one door closes, another one opens' so that's probably the approach or the attitude that I'm leaning towards."

Gear acknowledged it was always going to be tough to crack the final 30-man squad, considering the outside back division was full of quality players, but said he had no regrets about how he approached this year.

"Definitely not. I think I've prepared myself and worked as hard as I could. I had a few injuries, a few setbacks. I've had those to deal with. I got through those and I guess it was just a matter of putting it out on the field and obviously I didn't do that enough. So, I guess I can say I prepared myself for this as best as I could."

The All Black selectors had told him to keep in good nick because he was only one injury away from being called into the national squad.

In a boost for Wellington, Gear said he would be available for selection in Wellington's stuttering ITM Cup campaign against his former side North Harbour in Albany tomorrow.

"I want to play. I want to get out there and do as much as I can in helping the boys out.

"I've actually played for Harbour before and they're one of those unpredictable teams. There's quite a lot of talented players there so I guess we'll just have to wait and see."