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Prop Ethan de Groot has re-signed with the Highlanders, Southland and New Zealand Rugby until 2026.
The star showed impressive mental fortitude last season after initially being left out of the All Blacks squad and got on to improving his fitness, as the coaching staff had highlighted.
De Groot was recalled during the second half of the season and is now part of Highlanders scrum that is performing well.
The only play he wants to play
The front-row believes in the process at the Highlanders and feels as though he cannot see himself playing anywhere else.
“I like what we’re building down here, especially the new coaching group,” De Groot said.
“I think ‘Derms’ [Clarke Dermody] is doing a great job at the moment.
“I don’t know where anywhere else is like, and I don’t see myself being anywhere else. I’m happy to be here.”
Highlanders boss Clarke Dermody praised the All Black for his commitment and is delighted to have a player from the region re-committing his future to the club.
“Ethan has come a long way since he first joined us. He has worked hard on many aspects of his game and conditioning,” Dermody said.
“His consistent performances and selection for the All Blacks are testament to his dedication to improvement and the genuine talent he possesses. He has the capability over the next three years to play a lot of rugby for the All Blacks and to be a key part of the Highlanders’ engine room.
“I am excited about the level to which he could take his game over the next few years. He’s a proud Southlander, and his commitment for another three years to the Highlanders is certainly great news for our team and our region.”
Powerful scrum
Meanwhile, De Groot owes a lot of the Highlanders’ scrum success this season to their preparation but also singled out Jermaine Ainsley and gargantuan second-row Pari Pari Parkinson as key figures.
“I think it’s planning well through the week,” he said. “Our review on what teams are doing, what refs are wanting, what pictures they want.
“And then also Jermaine [Ainsley], my tighthead, he’s unreal at the moment – and then our hookers.
“[But] but the guys in behind like Pari Pari, he’s a freak. He’s a 130-kilo lock. It’s pretty tough to push him back, and then there’s guys like Josh Dickson.”
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