Crusaders wing George Bridge has revealed that his ambition was always to play for New Zealand in the 2023 Rugby World Cup but that he was forced to move abroad.
The speedster has signed a three-year deal with Top 14 side Montpellier and will join the club after Canterbury’s NPC season has concluded.
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A consistent performer for the Christchurch-based outfit over the years, Bridge became a key part of the national set-up ahead of the 2019 global tournament.
He was first choice during their run to the semi-finals in Japan but has gradually dropped down the pecking order following their elimination to England.
Nature of professional sport
“To be honest, the goal was to be going to the World Cup next year,” he told reporters. “Obviously, things didn’t pan out that way, but that’s just the nature of professional sport.”
With Bridge worried about his career stagnating, the lure of a move to Europe became too good an opportunity to miss out on.
Many current All Blacks take financially lucrative sabbaticals in Japan in order to remain available for international duty, but that wasn’t really an option for the wing.
Competition is high for places in the back three, especially with the attacking talent they have in the country, and the 27-year-old was not guaranteed to get his place back ahead of the next World Cup.
“The decision to go overseas was really tough, because of that goal that I wanted to get to, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to make the best of what you can,” he said.
“It was a decision sort of made for me, rather than sticking around and potentially putting myself in a worse position next year.”
Losing his place in the team
Bridge has dropped down the pecking order for both the All Blacks and the Crusaders, with youngster Leicester Fainga’anuku displacing him.
Firstly, Fainga’anuku usurped him at Super Rugby level, before the youngster’s form saw him take his team-mate’s place in the New Zealand squad.
With Blues flyer Caleb Clarke currently first choice on the left wing for Ian Foster’s men and Crusaders cohorts Will Jordan and Sevu Reece competing for the spot on the right, it made Bridge’s decision easier.
“I knew the position I was in,” he added. “You can’t really dwell on not making teams, the only thing you can do is concentrate on what’s next.”