Frankfurt – Germany’s greatest rugby talent is ready for the next step. About a month ago Anton Signer moved to New Zealand, the land of the legendary “all blacks”. Within the South Island, gravitate to Christchurch. The city of 400,000 inhabitants is not only the cultural center of this part of the country, but it also hosts a very successful rugby club. The Crusaders defend the champions and record winners of the Super Rugby Series, which includes the best teams from New Zealand and Australia.

Segner, who learned to play rugby at SC Frankfurt in 1880, is now part of the “Saders” and recently completed a Test match for them. “I want to spend as much time as possible with the team,” says the 19-year-old. After all, there is a lot to learn from the famous players out there.

It would make sense to intensify this learning process in the development of the 1.92m Striker who once attended Strothoff International School in Dreieich. The big success also gave a boost: At the end of 2020, Segner won the Miter Cup 10 with Tasman Mako, the New Zealand championship that falls short of “Super Rugby”. At 13:12 over favorite Oakland, he was substituted in the final stages and promptly received a penalty kick – an important building block on the way to victory. It was the first time a German had won a title in New Zealand.

“Winning the 10 Miter Cup means a lot to me because it is such a huge success all over New Zealand. Trying this in the first year after school is special.” “More playing time with Mako” is the short-term goal to have a chance. Real with the crusaders in the medium term.

He stands in the training area three hours a day, four times a week. “Plus additional individual training. I would say it’s about 14 hours a week. “Moral support after a show of strength comes from my girlfriend. At the end of November, he bade farewell to his host family, moved for the first time with his girlfriend’s family, and celebrated Christmas there (at 30 degrees) before the two of us pitched our tent in Christchurch.

Signer was his last visit to Frankfurt 13 months ago. The last visit from the home was in July 2019, when his parents and two brothers crossed the 18,500-km road.

New Zealander Tim Manawatu (formerly a SC 1880 player) once made Segner’s journey to remote rugby Dorado. “I have regular contact with him because he has been my mentor, so to speak, since I started rugby ten or eleven years ago. He also knows my family very well. So, when I meet him, I feel a little closer to my family.”

This also gives Segner the strength to continue on his path of being able to wear the black shirt at some point and appear in New Zealand: “My main goal is to be the best athlete I can be – and if the All Blacks were one of them, of course the dream would come true.” (Written by Stefan Frechi)