Tasman Makos: News

World Champion Mako
25-Jun-2009

By WAYNE MARTIN - The Nelson Mail

Hamish Cochrane is a world champion.

And his role in the New Zealand under-20 rugby team's IRB Toshiba World Championship success in Japan will undoubtedly be occupying his mind as he indulges his other passion pig hunting around Marlborough's hills over the next couple of weeks.

That's down time for the impressive young 115 kilogram tighthead prop who, with his Waimea Old Boys club team now out of the Nelson Bays club championship race, must bide his time until the Tasman Makos' representative squad announcement on July 5.

Cochrane doesn't necessarily need the break, but it will give him plenty of time to reflect on the past three weeks as New Zealand swept all before them in their unbeaten five-match championship campaign in Japan.

Cochrane's memories, though, will inevitably be tinged with sadness as he also reflects on the team's tragic conclusion to the tournament after team wing Zac Guildford's father, Ron, died of a heart attack while watching Sunday's final.

Guildford's death was a huge shock to the close-knit New Zealand team, with a stunned silence filling the team's dressing room once the devastating news was revealed.

"It was very sad. Our hearts go out to him," said Cochrane.

"Everyone was very quiet. All of us were pretty down. But we had a bit of a celebration later and all the boys got together and sang a few songs and things, and tried to stay positive."

New Zealand beat England 44-28 in Sunday's final in Tokyo to defend the title they won at last year's inaugural tournament in Wales.

And while Cochrane wasn't involved in either the 31-17 semifinal win over Australia or Sunday's crowning glory, he was very much a part of the victory process.

He played in New Zealand's comfortable pool wins over Uruguay (75-0) and Argentina (48-9) in Nagoya but didn't see any action in either the pool win over Ireland (17-0) or the playoffs, with the two top propping berths going to the Manawatu duo of Ma'afu Fia and Willie Ioane.

But despite disappointment at not getting any playoff time, Cochrane readily immersed himself in helping the team prepare for their title bid. "I was a little bit gutted and it was a bit hard watching, but you've got to stay positive and back the boys up. I warmed up with them and did as much as I could for them."

However, packing down against the South American scrums provided him with an obvious career highlight.

"They were very passionate teams, those two. Argentina gave us a bit of a fright in the first half and we managed to come back in the end, but they played very well.

Ad Feedback "[Uruguay's] whole forward pack was pretty light, but they backed that up with a lot of passion. Argentina had a big forward pack and they were very good scrummaging-wise."

Cochrane said that the final produced an engrossing contest between two extremely talented teams.

Ultimately, though, New Zealand's backs, led superbly by captain and first five-eighth Aaron Cruden, showed too much class.

"[England] had a very good team as well. They had a big forward pack and a big backline.

"It poured with rain before the game, so we knew that they'd tighten up and they did. So that was a little bit nerve-racking because they pushed us around a little bit in the mauls and that.

"But the boys, you couldn't fault them, they fronted up and they defended well, right on our line at one stage, and showed a lot of guts and determination to hold them out."