Mark Bright became exile after his hopes were dimmed by Thomas Waldrom
Kiwi back rower Bright, by common consent the finest player outside the Premiership, has enjoyed one of rugby‘s more remarkable careers, traversing the northern and southern hemispheres while plying his trade in England and New Zealand.
But his Super Rugby hopes were dashed in 2009, thanks to England man Waldrom.
“I’d been playing for Tasman Makos in the ITM Cup,” Bright, 35, told The Rugby Paper. “I was there or thereabouts for a Super Rugby contract but it didn’t pan out, which was a real shame.
“I was close to getting signed by Crusaders but then they picked up a player from Wellington, which really p****d me off… some guy called Thomas Waldrom!
“He’d come down from the Hurricanes and ended up with the Crusaders, so that was me done with Super Rugby and after a couple more seasons of ITM Cup.
“My missus said I’d done enough going backwards and forwards so we settled here.”
Nelson-born Bright began with Marist in 1998 and represented Nelson Bays and Tasman, before combining that with a winter career in England, first with Kendal and then five seasons at Redruth, where he remains a club legend.
He has racked up 600 senior appearances.
“I didn’t see a summer,” Bright jokes. “But playing year-round rugby was a dream because it meant I didn’t have to do pre-season training and all that aimless running.
“I love playing rugby and whilst it’s been a slog at times, you can’t complain if you’re getting paid to play the game, can you?”
Bright is in his third season at Scottish, where, to the dismay of wing star Miles Mantella, he is this season’s top-try scorer after touching down in last Sunday’s 32-21 defeat to London Welsh.
“Miles and I have got a thing going and I’m ahead of him,” Bright adds. “He’s on 19 tries, I’m on 20 and he’s not overly happy about it.
“I’m enjoying my rugby and I’ll play for as long as possible.”
NEALE HARVEY
