{"id":686000,"date":"2026-05-21T22:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T22:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/686000\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T22:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T22:08:15","slug":"all-black-ruben-love-reveals-why-he-almost-gave-up-rugby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/686000\/","title":{"rendered":"All Black Ruben Love reveals why he almost gave up rugby"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rising All Blacks star Ruben Love can pinpoint the exact moment his rugby dream began. It was his 10th birthday, when a surprise trip to a Hurricanes match led to an unforgettable encounter with one of his idols.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time I\u2019d been to a live game and Aaron Cruden<\/a> kicked a penalty right on full- time, which won the match,\u201d recalls the flying first five-eighth and fullback. <\/p>\n

\u201cAfterward, I had my photo taken with him and couldn\u2019t believe I got to meet my superhero!\u201d<\/p>\n

Now a dynamic Hurricanes playmaker and fully fledged All Black himself, Ruben, 25, is determined to help inspire the next generation of young rugby players, especially those from humble beginnings like his.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a kid growing up in Waikanae Beach, then moving to Palmerston North, becoming a professional rugby player wasn\u2019t the most realistic dream,\u201d explains Ruben, who has Te \u0100tiawa heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I was always a bit delusional about it and would think, \u2018Don\u2019t worry. It\u2019ll happen!\u2019 I want kids to know it doesn\u2019t matter where you come from \u2013 you can achieve your dreams if you back yourself and don\u2019t let anybody tell you that you can\u2019t do something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" (Credit: Bernadette Peters.)<\/p>\n

From B teams to big dreams<\/p>\n

Ruben may have had the belief, but his path to success was far from straightforward. He only made B teams at Palmerston North High School and almost gave up rugby a couple of times before his dad, former M\u0101ori All Black Matene Love, intervened.<\/p>\n

\u201cDad was on the board of trustees and got wind of it,\u201d grins Ruben, whose father and Liverpool-born mum Lorna are his greatest supporters. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe took me to a park where there was a game going on and said, \u2018You can get out and play or you can walk home!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruben eventually made national underage teams in both rugby and cricket before leaving school. At one stage, he had his sights set on becoming a Black Cap<\/a>, but everything changed when he ran out for the M\u0101ori under-18 rugby team in front of his wh\u0101nau \u2014 sealing his future in rugby.<\/p>\n

\"\"Scoring for the ABs against Japan in 2024.<\/p>\n

The push he needed<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the last game my grandad saw before he passed away and it meant so much to my family, bringing them joy during such a hard time,\u201d shares Ruben, who is the third of six kids.<\/p>\n

The athlete made his professional debut for Wellington in 2020, joined the Hurricanes in 2021 and scored two tries in his ABs debut against Japan in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t quite realise the magnitude of playing for the All Blacks to begin with,\u201d admits Ruben. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was just focused on playing well, and not letting my family and country down. It wasn\u2019t until I came home to Palmy at the end of that year and saw how happy my community was that I realised what it meant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruben is one of the most popular All Blacks of his generation on social media<\/a>, with more than 75,000 followers on Instagram, but he insists fame isn\u2019t the goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t post that much until I started to realise how much closer it can bring you to your fans,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

\u201cI try to share what I\u2019m up to behind the scenes and keep it as authentic as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Ruben (far right) meeting All Black Aaron with brother Logan (far left).<\/p>\n

Showing rugby\u2019s lighter side<\/p>\n

His posts often show the lighter side of life in professional rugby, including his \u201cterrible\u201d attempts at making coffee before training.<\/p>\n

He laughs, \u201cThere\u2019s a bit of competition between the boys about who can crack the machine\u2019s Da Vinci code!\u201d<\/p>\n

Through social media, Ruben has invited kids to opening training sessions and to join him for runs in the park. Earlier this year, he ran the inaugural 1ove Youth Rugby Camp in Palmerston North for boys and girls of all ages.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had no idea how many kids would come,\u201d confesses Ruben. <\/p>\n

\u201cI got 100 t-shirts printed, then 180 showed up!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Cheering on the next generation.<\/p>\n

Giving back to the next generation<\/p>\n

The rugby star has also published a journal for schoolkids, designed to help them set goals and back themselves, drawing on lessons from his own journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no hidden agenda,\u201d shares Ruben. <\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to do something for the kids, especially young M\u0101ori, that I never had when I was growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Off the field, the sporting hero keeps life relatively low-key. He lives in a Wellington flat with two longtime mates and doesn\u2019t have a girlfriend, admitting dating can be \u201ctricky\u201d in the public eye. He enjoys reading, sauna sessions and ocean swims in his downtime.<\/p>\n

Although he\u2019s at the start of what looks like an exciting rugby legacy, Ruben has his feet firmly on the ground.<\/p>\n

He concludes, \u201cOne day, the lights will go out on my career, so I want to be known as someone who played the game the best I could, maintained the family-first approach I was raised on and was always grateful for the opportunities that came my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Profile\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAuthor
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJo Bailey\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Jo Bailey is a Woman\u2019s Day writer who loves telling meaningful human stories. A highlight of her decades-long career is chatting with celebrities, sports stars and everyday Kiwis for the magazine, especially if their stories involve love and babies. A proud Cantabrian, when she\u2019s not chasing deadlines, you\u2019ll find Jo indulging her love of film, TV, theatre or creative writing. She\u2019s currently working on her fifth historical nonfiction book, about a World War I nurse from Christchurch, and is co-writing a murder-mystery comedy play. A music nut, Jo\u2019s career plan B was to become a rock star \u2013 sadly, she can\u2019t sing a note.<\/p>\n

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