Top 14: “There was still a lot of frustration” in Castres, admits former All Black Jack Goodhue

The Castres season, his bond with Ronan O'Gara... and his signature haircut. “My mullet had a life of its own!”, says former All Blacks center Jack Goodhue in an interview with AFP, before facing La Rochelle on Saturday in the Top 14.

How did you experience the defeat against Gloucester in the Challenge Cup? Jack Goodhue: This defeat, added to the previous ones, puts us in a negative spiral... But we trained well this week and that allowed us to review things , our playing identity, to resolve our problems... We know how tight the Top 14 is. We had a little more time to prepare and I hope we will be able to deliver a performance that we will be proud of.

You're facing La Rochelle this weekend...It's a great team. We are ready to do anything to win, we really want to win. Playing at home, after a weekend off, will allow us to deliver a big match. We had time to prepare, we will give everything.

The Rochelais will also be hungry for victories after their defeat against Leinster. Leinster is a high-class team. Defending your title requires a lot of pride in the Champions Cup. They are competitors, they would really like to win... But Ronan O'Gara (the coach of La Rochelle, Editor's note) will instill in them this desire for revenge, he wants to win everything he can. He was extremely competitive. He brought new ideas, particularly in defense, reading the game and finding space. He is certainly remembered for his character and that is something that represents him so well as an Irishman (smile). Having him as a coach was a highlight of my career (at the Crusaders and 2018-2019, Editor's note).

Back to Castres, aren't you disappointed to be only eighth in the standings? There were performances that satisfied us. But, overall, there was still a lot of frustration because we struggled to put our rugby together. Whether it's because of errors or something else... But we're doing everything we can, with the staff, to find answers.

A word about your iconic mullet cut...It has had a life of its own! In 2018, during the fall tour with the All Blacks, a few guys let their hair grow out and I did the same just to be part of the group... I wasn't a trailblazer or a lone wolf, eh ? Then they all cut their hair but no one told me. I'm not going to name the coward who did this! (laughs) But I had my mullet cut when I arrived at the first camp with the All Blacks in January, I thought I liked it and I kept it! My mom let me grow a mullet when I was two or three...and there's nothing better than a baby with a mullet! (laughs) Maybe I'll push it again?