After spending most of my life playing football, you’d think I’d want to keep playing at a high level and see where the sport could take me. In reality, I did the opposite, quitting just after my 20th birthday.

For many young and aspiring athletes cracking it pro is the metaphorical top of the mountain. It’s an exclusive club, a byproduct of which is the ability to (usually) make an incredibly healthy living all while doing something you love.

Sport is inspirational, at times it seems almost scripted, and in the case of Ardie Savea, he is rewriting that script.

The steady rise of UC rugby has been nothing short of sensational, going from competition strugglers to one of the top clubs in Canterbury. What sparked this turnaround?