Robertson mentioned his time in Newtownards was necessary for his maturation as a participant and particular person, but in addition in imprinting upon him the necessity to pursue training alongside his rugby profession.
After tagging together with Ards team-mates to lectures at Queen’s College Belfast, a stipulation in Robertson’s first Crusaders enjoying contract was that they’d pay for his diploma from Lincoln College.
“It was a terrific probability for me,” he mentioned.
“It introduced a whole lot of perception in how I might play. Going dwelling, it actually set me off to verify I might get an training and that I needed to play rugby on the highest stage.
“It gave me a whole lot of confidence. It helped me develop up just a little bit, get away from mum’s dinners, take care of myself and I made some actually good associates. It was a good time in my life.”
If Robertson discovered lots throughout that season with Ards, the final 12 months have confirmed to be academic too. Regardless of all his earlier successes with Crusaders in Tremendous Rugby, teaching any worldwide facet, however particularly the All Blacks, will all the time be a special proposition.
He admitted that “nothing actually prepares you” for the highest job with the three-time World Cup winners.
“You have to be fairly assured, hold the course as an individual, perceive your tight, interior circle,” he mentioned.
“That is the most important one the place I stand. Who do you hearken to? Who could be actually goal? However that comes as a part of the job.
“Nothing actually prepares you for that till you do it. You study the vast majority of the time by doing stuff. I am studying.”
Between Robertson’s personal enjoying days and the present period, the connection between Eire and New Zealand has modified demonstrably. Friday night time’s hosts didn’t beat the All Blacks throughout the primary 111-years of fixtures performed by the pair however have now gained 5 of the final 10 conferences, together with an away sequence victory in 2022.
“I feel it’s a nice narrative, a terrific story,” Robertson added.
“It is a terrific narrative. Two nations which are comparable in a number of methods, small island off an enormous island.
“We take pleasure in one another’s firm, however there’s a fierce rivalry on the sphere, a whole lot of respect [between] two good groups that go at it.
“That may be a large a part of the storyline, that little little bit of historical past just lately. They’ve had a little bit of success in our yard and we have had some as properly.”
