Rugby World Cup: Halfback has much to thank mum for

Tawera Kerr-Barlow says watching the 1995 World Cup final inspired him to become an All Black. Photo / Getty Images

Kerr-Barlow tells how backyard drills inspired him to become pass master

Tawera Kerr-Barlow's main source of inspiration as a rugby-mad youngster growing up in Australia's Northern Territory wasn't his father, Reimana, but mother, Gail.

It was Gail with whom Kerr-Barlow, who was born in Melbourne, endlessly practised his passing, a key skill for an up-and-coming halfback with pretentions of being an All Black, because she was a halfback herself at the time.

Good enough to represent "the Territory" and then Australia, Gail was mum and sporting role model all in one.

"My brother and I were mostly brought up by our mum," Kerr-Barlow said in London after a training session at his first World Cup. "Our dad travelled a lot with his work and we were always down at the footy park every Saturday watching her play. She had a No9 on her back so naturally I wanted to be a No9. She played for the Territory and Australia as well and I wanted to follow in her footsteps, except I wanted to put on a black jersey."

At the age of 14, Kerr-Barlow's pass became too strong for Gail to handle, but the help and advice continues and she will be at the World Cup to offer it in person.

"She holds the stopwatch for me when I do my running in the [Darwin] heat. My brother and father are still in the Territory as well but she's coming over for the World Cup so it will be nice to see her.

"We were brought up in Australia, my brother and I, but we always considered ourselves Kiwis. I remember watching the 1995 World Cup final and always wanting to be an All Black."

The fact that 25-year-old Kerr-Barlow is here is testament to his determination to recover from a horrific knee injury suffered while playing for the All Blacks against South Africa in Johannesburg last year.

Replacing Aaron Smith at Ellis Park in October, Kerr-Barlow proved his incredible toughness by playing on after he collided with wing JP Pietersen in the act of making a clearing kick.

It was soon evident that a torn hamstring and ruptured anterior cruciate and lateral ligaments in his knee had left him in no state to continue so he made way for Colin Slade, but that same mental toughness helped him with the long road to recovery.

The initial prognosis was a stint of 12 months on the sidelines following surgery, ruling him out of the World Cup, but his discipline and determination meant he missed only eight months. Unable to contribute on the playing field for the Chiefs, he instead helped out the defensive coaching team and mentored the franchise's halfbacks Brad Weber and Augustine Pulu.

Kerr-Barlow's return for Waikato club Hautapu was a proud moment and his inclusion in a World Cup squad also containing halfbacks Smith and TJ Perenara doubly so.

"I'm obviously extremely excited to be back in the side and to be here at my first World Cup. It's been a hell of a year," he said. "Obviously, I didn't know if I was going to make it back in time. The coaches have shown a lot of faith in me and I've just continued to grow every day."

The All Blacks eased themselves into this week ahead of Monday's opening match against Argentina at Wembley [Sunday, UK time], something that is easier said than done for Kerr-Barlow and his halfback mates.

"Halfbacks are real energetic cats anyway and we're always bouncing, off the pitch. Quite often the coaches have to tell us to settle down but I think we try to energise the whole team and the excitement filters throughout the whole squad and even our support staff. We've got to rein in our enthusiasm so we can go gangbusters on Sunday."

NZME