KEY POINTS:
There's an old joke about doing a runner from a restaurant (running off after the meal without paying the bill). It's about the Irish runner - that's where you bolt before the meal arrives.
You could say 21-year-old Blues inside back Michael Hobbs has done a bit of an Irish rugby OE...he did his overseas turn at the beginning of his rugby career, not the end. He did it in Queensland (not Ireland...). However, the reasons were the same as those that flow from the mouths of senior New Zealand players who have opted for the cheques and the change of environment in Europe: relief from the pressure; a change of scenery.
"I wanted to get away from New Zealand rugby for a while. I just needed a change and I just wanted to play casual rugby and have a bit of fun."
That comes as less of a surprise when you focus on the surname. Hobbs. Son of Jock, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, which has travelled through some of its most controversial and hottest times of recent years.
Those were pressure-filled times for the Hobbs family straight after the World Cup schemozzle and then the controversial re-appointment of Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen as coaches. Add to that the fact that your mum is Robbie Deans' sister (Nicky) and you can see there is the potential for family tension.
"It was pretty hard on dad, that's for sure," said Michael at his first Blues training session last week - while most of us are gearing up for the beach, sun and Chrismas parties, the Blues are doing beep tests and suchlike. "He distanced himself from the process [of electing the All Blacks coaches] pretty quickly but it was obviously still something that wasn't much fun."
"Graham [Henry], Wayne [Smith] and Steve [Hansen] are great coaches as is Robbie Deans - so it was tough on dad and they were interesting times, all right."
Whatever the tensions of the Hobbs-Deans clans, Michael quite sensibly kicks for touch when such questions are asked and, like most 21-year-olds, is looking to the future rather than worrying about all that history carry-on.
With good reason. The reports emanating from Queensland suggest that young Hobbs - who played in New Zealand secondary school and age-group teams - was highly regarded there. He spent two years in the Queensland Academy. Last year Queensland Reds coach Phil Mooney brought Hobbs into the Reds squad for the Super 14 - although he didn't get any game time as he was still a year away from residential eligibility.
Mooney's move was obviously to interest the young man in what could be his, especially as some reports from Australia suggest Hobbs was one of the most exciting prospects to move through the Queensland rugby academy in recent times.
However, the call of home proved strong though Hobbs has yet to break into regular selection in his native Wellington (he is a product of Wellington College and the Old Boys club). He was behind, for both the Wellington Lions and the Hurricanes, Jimmy Gopperth, Willie Ripia and another son of an All Black flanker and captain - Daniel Kirkpatrick (son of Ian) who took the 10 jersey for much of the Lions' season this year.
It may be that Hobbs does not see too much game time this year, although conventional wisdom suggests that his main hope will be at second five-eighths.
Gopperth came north to captain North Harbour last winter and also gives a sense of unfulfilled potential. The Blues could be a very good home for him.
Both Gopperth and Hobbs will be behind returning Blues 10 Tasesa Lavea, who will, barring injury, be the man to open the season for the Blues. Lavea is not everyone's first choice but new coach Pat Lam seems certain to pin his faith in the Counties man whose ability to take the ball to the line is one of his strong points and fits into the Blues' style of play.
So second five-eighths appears Hobbs' most likely source of game time as the Blues midfield is not overly experienced although Anthony Tuitavake and Isaia Toeava could play there if necessary.
Sensibly, again, Hobbs declines to nominate a favourite position and says: "I don't know what plans Pat and Shane Howarth have for me but I really don't mind which one I play, I like both. I am here to learn and soak up things that Jimmy, Tasesa and Benson [Stanley, Blues second five-eighths] can teach me. I'll just learn what I can and try to get some game time somewhere, sometime.
"I grew up always playing first five but in Australia I had a go at second five and it worked well."
Meanwhile, Lam says he is not worried about the Blues' difficult start to the 2009 season - with away games to the Force, the Bulls and the Stormers in the first three weeks before hosting the Sharks at Eden Park.
The Sharks have caused the Blues problems before, meaning it is a tough opening sequence for the side composed of individuals from the three under-performing provinces in the Air New Zealand Cup - Auckland, North Harbour and Northland.
"We have to play them all some time," said Lam. "If we can do well there, that will set us up for the rest of the competition."
The Blues' All Blacks will come back into the side at the end of January although Lam says some may return earlier.
