James Lowe opens up about his All Black dream

Kiwi Leinster wing James Lowe has opened up about his dream of being an All Black, and how he has adjusted to life in Ireland.

Lowe joined Leinster in 2017 after five years of professional rugby in New Zealand with his hometown province Tasman and the Chiefs Super Rugby side.

Unable to get a look in at the national level thanks to a crowded All Blacks back three accommodated by the likes of Julian Savea, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith, Lowe made the decision to head overseas.

However, Lowe is at peace with his decision to withdraw his name from national contention and take his talents to Ireland.

“I can catch, pass and kick and they [the All Blacks] didn’t really need that on the wings. They had Julian to run over people,” Lowe told the Irish Independent.

“If I did stay, I reckon I would have got a couple of caps but I don’t know. A couple of caps? It’s cool, don’t get me wrong, a childhood dream, but I don’t know if it would have sat pretty staying there and smashing myself up for 10 months of the year.

“There’s only so much you can hold on to. I’m realistic. I don’t come from a very wealthy background or anything like that, so financially this will probably be the smartest business decision I’ll ever make. I’ve only got eight years, maybe, left, and then who knows? I could be in a factory if I’m not smart.”

Once the 25-year-old arrived in Dublin, he received a bit of a shock in terms of adapting to the structure and strategic systems of Irish rugby teams.

“It was quite funny, like, man, when I first came here I really struggled. I was talking to Stu [Lancaster] about it. Everyone here went to a nice private school – that’s pretty much it, and how they’ve been taught. It’s very verbal, and they pick things up so quickly.

“For me, you see me out on the training ground and they’ll be doing drills and I have to sit out and watch it a couple of times and then in my head I can do it,” Lowe continues.

“But if Stu just says to do something I struggle, I have to go ask him. I’m very visual. Actually at the Chiefs we had a big chessboard, as we called it. It was a big rugby table like this. We had players, 15 and 15, and we’d all sit around the table and, you in your position, as they called out the play you had to put your people in the right area, run the right plays and stuff like that. That was quite cool. I’ve started to pick things up. I know enough. I know what I need to know. Isa [Nacewa] has been very good, he’s a smart cookie. He’s helped me a lot.”

Lowe’s Leinster side are currently preparing for their home semi-final next weekend in the European Champions Cup competition.