Fresh off his surprise naming in Canterbury's squad for this year's NPC, former All Black Ryan Crotty reported for media duties with a big grin on his face and jokes at the ready.
"No translator?" he asked.
"That's good — this should take five minutes instead of 20!"
Long interviews have been a part of the midfielder's post-All Blacks career with his rugby taking him to Japan after 2019 to play for the Kubota Spears.
But with his contract in Japan ending, Crotty has made his way back to New Zealand to add to his 68 Canterbury caps having previously spent some time this season training with the Crusaders late in their campaign as injury cover for David Havili.
The 34-year-old said that short return to his old Super Rugby club helped lead to his provincial homecoming.
"I'd just got back from Japan and I was really just focused on spending time with my family and just enjoying time with my daughters and wife," Crotty began.
"Then we were walking down to the coffee shop one day and [Crusaders backs coach] Jimmy Marshall saw us and the next thing I know there was a DM saying, 'could you come down to training for the Crusaders?'
"I think it was just through that — I got back to playing club rugby and was loving playing for Brighton.
"The body is feeling good and I was only too happy to come back and be part of Canterbury."
Crotty isn't the only old face returning to the red and blacks though with Ben Funnell [80 caps] and Luke Romano [70] also named in the squad.
At this point in his career though, the 48-Test All Black is more focused on the younger faces in the squad.
"The part of rugby I enjoy most is the connecting and making friendships and working hard towards team goals," he said.
"If I can connect with some young boys and pass on some experience and help them out in any way possible, that's what I'm really excited to be doing."
Crotty added while his return to Canterbury was perhaps surprising, finishing up in Japan was always the plan with "other options" on the table but none of them comparing to coming back to New Zealand.
"We've got two young ones and it was hard being away from them," he said.
"My focus was just to get back to my family and that means Christchurch for now.
"I'm just really happy to be home."
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