Former All Blacks prop Carl Hayman named in Pau's Brisbane Tens squad

  • 14/01/2018
The prop last played for New Zealand in 2007.
The prop last played for New Zealand in 2007. Photo credit: Getty Images

Former All Blacks prop Carl Hayman will come out of retirement and play for French Top 14 club Pau at next month's Brisbane Tens.

The 38-year-old was unveiled on Sunday (NZ time) as the team's 'mystery All Blacks legend' which the club marketed when they named their squad for the tournament on Friday.

Hayman wore the All Blacks jersey 24 times during his career between 2001 and 2007 and was considered one of the best in the world, before departing for Europe where he played with the Newcastle Falcons and Toulon.

He retired in 2015 but made a comeback mid-way through last year for French fifth division amateur club Bizanos and is currently the forwards coach at Pau. 

"It will be pretty interesting to see how a 38-year-old goes against all these Super Rugby boys," said Hayman.

"The boss asked me if I'd be keen to have a run and I thought, why not? It'll be nice to chuck the boots on and get out there and run around.

"I am going to enjoy getting back out there, getting back into playing with players at that level.

"I've been putting the training in and keeping in reasonable nick as I know it is going to be pretty fast," Hayman said. "I played in the Hong Kong Tens a year ago so I know that Tens is an exciting brand of rugby, definitely very fast."

Hayman is one of eight former All Blacks who have been named in Pau's squad for the two-day tournament at Suncorp Stadium.

Conrad Smith, Tom Taylor, Colin Slade, Benson Stanley, Frank Halai and Jamie MacKintosh are the other former All Blacks to be named, while former Southland and Wellington lock Daniel Ramsay will also feature. 

Pau are grouped with the Highlanders, Chiefs and Waratahs for the tournament.

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