Former All Black eyes new direction in blue of police

BLACK TO BLUE: Former All Black Glen Osborne hopes to join the police. A_090711WCBRCSORU13

Former All Black Glen Osborne is bidding to join the police force - at the age of 44.

Osborne, a Wanganui rugby representative before going on to international honours, has been working as a presenter with Maori Television since retiring from the game.

Now he is looking for a change of career and is studying hard to join the force.

He is a student at the Whanganui Learning Centre, in Wicksteed Street, where he is working on his literacy skills.

"I needed help to upskill my writing so I could confidently write formal reports," he said.

"I needed to learn to write descriptively and accurately using the right legal language."

From Kaiwhaiki, Osborne recalls getting only 13 per cent in English for School Certificate.

Rugby was his focus then and he went on to play for North Harbour, the Chiefs and scored two tries on his All Blacks' debut in 1995.

He was first-choice fullback at the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

For Maori TV he has presented sports and hunting shows.

He has returned to live on the outskirts of Wanganui, and now hopes to join the police and specialise in working with youth.