Aidan Ross earned his sole All Blacks test cap against Ireland in 2022. Photo: Photosport
After making his All Blacks debut in 2022, prop Aidan Ross had to wait more than three years and swap nations to earn a second test cap but finally broke the drought when he ran out for Australia against Japan last Saturday.
There was much to celebrate for the former Waikato Chiefs stalwart as the Wallabies held off Japan for a 19-15 win in Tokyo on the day of his 30th birthday.
He is the fifth player to represent both trans-Tasman nations following Ted Jessep, Des Connor, Owen Stephens and Alex Hodgman, who has just announced his retirement from professional rugby.
"It was awesome," Ross told reporters in London.
"Life's a journey and your rugby career's a journey and it goes different ways.
"That was an awesome part of my journey in New Zealand, and now that chapter's closed and I'm moving the family over to Australia, and they're loving it."
Born in Australia's eastern state of New South Wales to New Zealander parents, the loosehead prop played over 100 Super Rugby games in eight seasons with the Chiefs and earned an All Blacks call-up under former coach Ian Foster.
New Zealand were stunned 23-12 by Ireland in Ross's debut, their first ever defeat to the Irish on home soil.
Overlooked by Foster thereafter and current All Blacks boss Scott Robertson, Ross signed with the Queensland Reds last December and completed his three-year international stand-down period mid-year to be eligible to play for Australia.
He was rushed into Joe Schmidt's Wallabies squad as injury cover during the British & Irish Lions series but had to wait another few months for his debut.
With Tom Robertson injured and long-time loosehead James Slipper having retired at the end of the Rugby Championship, Ross could be in line for more action against England at Twickenham this week.
The Wallabies are hoping for enough wins in their November tests in Europe to cement a place in the top six of world rankings and earn a more favourable draw for the 2027 World Cup which they will host.
Ross said players were not really focused on the bigger picture, though.
"At the moment it's a five-match tour and you're week by week," he said.
"Now it's England over here this week ... the next job in front of us.
"They're a classy team. They play a pretty strong domestic competition here in England and there's nothing but world-class players in that squad."
Hodgman calls it quits
Queensland Reds prop Hodgman is to head back to New Zealand after announcing his retirement from pro rugby at the age of 32.
Auckland-born Hodgman made his test debut with the All Blacks against the Wallabies in 2020 and four years later pulled on Australia's gold jersey for a test against Georgia.
Alex Hodgman playing for the All Blacks against Argentina in 2020. Photo: Photosport
Hodgman, a former Auckland Blues stalwart who also played for the Canterbury Crusaders in Super Rugby, will head back to Auckland to start his post-rugby life, the Reds said in a statement on Tuesday.
"For me, setting up my family has always been the most important thing," Hodgman said in the statement.
"I wanted to taste something different in Queensland and we definitely did that with a good experience.
"Ultimately, NZ is my home. I had a lot of fun playing footy. You know when it's time to finish up."
Hodgman was one of four players confirming their exit from the Reds on Tuesday, along with retiring loose forward Connor Vest, long-serving prop Sef Fa'agase and young hooker Max Craig.
Hodgman played four tests for the All Blacks.
- Reuters
