Excitement is ramping up ahead of this weekend's North versus South rugby match – and so too is the banter.
Cheeky jabs are becoming more apparent as the game edges closer, particularly between the Lienert-Brown brothers - with one of each representing the respective teams.
“I was born in the south, we grew up there, but I see myself as a North Islander now,” Anton Lienert-Brown said.
“Eight years in the mighty Tron.”
Daniel Lienert-Brown isn’t buying it, though.
“He's a southern man, a proud southern man,” Daniel teased.
“But I guess Waikato was his first provincial union and that’s how it went and he’s in the north unfortunately.”
Daniel will kit up for the Southerners, though, after getting a late call-up for Blues prop Alex Hodgman, who left the squad on family leave.
He said he’s pumped at the chance to square up against his little brother.
“We always say before a game, ‘I’m gonna smash you,’ and go back and forth,” he said.
“I saw him in the first round of Super Rugby Aotearoa. He was in front of me and I ran at him and after the game I said, ‘Did you feel that?’ and he said, ‘Did you feel my shoulder?’ and I said, ‘No, not really!’”
Anton’s version of the encounter was a little different.
“I think he ran at me but I tackled him. I put him to ground. Don’t know if that’s running over someone. Think he’s got his words mixed up!”
Which team the Lienert-Brown family will support is also up for discussion, Anton added.
“I’d say Mum, she’s a South Islander at heart.
“Dad moved from Samoa to Auckland and spent a lot of time there. He’s definitely a North Islander.
“At least Mum’s a South Islander, Dad’s a North Islander, so we’ve got a 50/50 split.”
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