New Zealand rugby legend Chris Masoe returns to Whanganui for The Classics match

Former All Black Chris Masoe will return to Whanganui as The Classics face the Steelform Whanganui Heartland side on July 26 at Cooks Gardens. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Former All Black Chris Masoe is returning to Whanganui as captain of The Classics rugby team as they face Steelform Whanganui.

The Classics are an invitational rugby team founded by All Black great, the late Andy Haden, who grew up in Whanganui.

The team consists of former New Zealand rugby representatives.

Masoe first made waves in Whanganui as a 16-year-old when he received a scholarship to play first XV rugby for Whanganui City College.

Masoe left his family in Samoa to pursue his rugby dreams, attending boarding school at the college, with English his second language.

Masoe made 12 appearances for the Whanganui National Provincial Championship Division Two side from 1999-2000, scoring four tries before making the first big move of his career to Taranaki the following year.

Now, at 46, he returns to Cooks Gardens as The Classics take on the Steelform Whanganui Heartland Championship side at 2.35pm on Saturday, July 26.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to the stomping ground, that’s where it all started for me,” Masoe said.

The hard-hitting loose forward played 20 tests for the All Blacks from 2005-2007, playing for the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Taranaki and Wellington in New Zealand before playing for several French clubs.

Masoe (left) played 108 times for French rugby club Castres Olympique from 2008-2012. Photo / AFP

Masoe said if it were not for his experiences as a young man in Whanganui, playing for Whanganui City College, Kaierau, Marist and the Whanganui side, he would not have excelled in the way he did for nearly 20 years.

“If I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t get to Taranaki and where I am now. It’s good to visit back and hopefully see some mates I went to school with.”

Masoe said he had a difficult time when he first moved to Whanganui and got involved with some bad groups of people.

“It was tough but, if I didn’t do that, I won’t be who I am now,” Masoe said.

“We had some good and some bad times. It wasn’t smooth, sometimes it was tough with missing my family in Samoa, so I had some people help me along the way.”

One of them was former City College coach Peter Aki.

Masoe said Aki was good to him, steering him on to the right path, offering advice.

Masoe is set to start at blindside flanker against Whanganui and will captain The Classics.

The game will be his eighth appearance for the side, which is the most appearances of the team members named to play.

“That’s probably the reason Chris Haden [son of Andy Haden] made me captain - because I am the oldest player in The Classics now,” he said.

“Sometimes people say age is just a number but when you play contact sport for 20 years, sometimes the number gets you,” Masoe said.

Alongside Masoe in The Classics will be Mana Ashford who also grew up in Whanganui.

“He’s going to be on my side which is good because if anyone sidesteps me, I just let them go because I am way over 40 now,” Masoe said.

The Classics was a great concept which connected players with those they shared the field with and “went to war with”, he said.

“At the end of the day, that’s what rugby is all about. You go to war and then after, you have a couple of beers with your mates.

“The great thing about this is that it doesn’t matter how old you are, as soon as the rugby ball gets thrown around we all come together.”

Tickets are available at ticketek.co.nz and the match will be broadcast live on TVNZ1.