Geoff Cridge on the rise for the Hurricanes

Representative Rugby | 02 February 2015 | Adam Julian

Geoff Cridge is a six foot seven lock who has just signed a Hurricanes contract. On Saturday in Eketahuna the 19 year-old scored a try and performed strongly in the Hurricanes 41-31 pre-season victory against the Crusaders (pictured above with ball in hand).

Craig Philpott played lock for Canterbury. He went to Japan before returning to Christchurch. He was a teacher at Shirley Boys’ High School and then a member of the senior management staff at Christchurch Boys’ High School.

About a decade ago Philpott turned his hand to coaching and enjoyed immediate success with the New Brighton club. He mentored the Canterbury Colts along with Brad Mooar (new Southland Stags coach) and eventually landed an appointment with Hawke’s Bay whom he won the Ranfurly Shield with this year.

Philpott is an old mate of Mike Drury, the coach of the Christchurch Boys’ High School First XV. In 2013 while visiting the Rugby Academy in Palmerston North, Drury bumped into Philpot who asked, “Have you got any big men for us?” Drury replied, Geoff Cridge.

Drury is delighted with the progress Cridge is making. “Canterbury showed little interest in Geoff after school, but I believed he had the ability to kick onto a higher level and Geoff was still pretty keen on his footy.

At Boys’ High he started in the backs so he had good skills and pace. Later on he added the necessary physicality to his game for a big man.”

In 2012 Christchurch Boys’ High School won 17 out of 20 games, including the Press Cup.?

Cridge failed to make any national teams usurped by New Zealand Under-20 representatives James Tucker from St. Bede’s and Troy Callander from Otago Boys.’ Drury argues this was no reflection of Cridge’s ability.

“The competition that year was stiff and at that stage Tucker was marginally ahead anyway. I thought Cridge acquitted himself well at the Under-20’s for New Zealand.”

Cridge has fond memories of school, but was delighted when the chance to go to the Hawke’s Bay emerged.

“I loved schoolboy rugby. We had a good team and I played with a great bunch of boys. I was disappointed when Canterbury offered me nothing, but that’s life.”

In 2013 Cridge played for the Hastings Rugby and Sports club and earned selection for the Hawke’s Bay Under-18’s as a loose forward. Cridge was a standout in four representative fixtures and earned selection for the New Zealand Under-20’s team for the IRB Junior World Championships in 2014.

New Zealand lost in the semi-finals and underwhelmed during the tournament, but Cridge who is eligible for selection in 2015 has a theory as to why that happened.

“We were under prepared. England and South Africa who played the final were beatable, but they had the benefit of spending much more time together. We were only just starting to click during the semi-finals.”

Cridge did concede that South African lock JD Schickerling is the toughest opponent he has marked and First-Five and current Springbok Handre Pollard is “a freak.”

Hurricanes High Performance Manager Chris Sterling likes what he has seen of Cridge. Since late 2013 Sterling has been in touch with Cridge.

“Chris approached me after a game against the Wellington Under-18’s and said he would like to offer me a chance with the Hurricanes. That came out of the blue. I didn’t expect it at all.”

Cridge played 20 minutes in the ITM Cup last year. He was yellow carded in his debut against Northland, so why all the fuss?

Mike Drury says Cridge’s progress at this point of his career is similar to that of 2014 IRB World Player of the year Brodie Retallick.

“I helped coach Brodie in 2009 and like Geoff he wasn’t offered a Canterbury contract. Brodie’s uncle, All Black lock John Ashworth encouraged Brodie to move to the Hawke’s Bay and look at what has happened. I am not saying that Geoff is the next Brodie Retalick, but there are similarities.”

Drury continues, “Geoff is a very easy lad to coach. He is a laid back fellow, but brings an edge when he needs to.

Cridge comes from a talented sports family. His father Dudley was a talented cricketer and his mother Vicky represented Canterbury in Badminton and show jumping.

Geoff admits that he and the Hurricanes have a lot to prove in 2015. He insists the Hurricanes have the talent to be successful and if they are not there will be no point “searching for excuses.”