Lockdown with Aaron Bouzaid

We're catching up with our players to hear how they have been through the COVID-19 lockdown period. Next up is MSP Internationals lynchpin, Aaron Bouzaid.

What have you been doing to keep busy in lockdown?

I work for TranzUrban running the Wellington bus service so I have had plenty to keep me busy from my home office. Aside from work, life has been about getting ready for the birth of our first child in July.

We were lined up to buy a house through a private sale bang on lockdown, so day dreaming about building a new kitchen and garage gym has also kept my mind pretty occupied!

Best movie or tv show you've watched?

I watched 'The Good The Bad & The Rugby' the other night, which was excellent viewing. I am more of a music man myself so I've been making the most of all the concerts that have been released on YouTube.

Are you a gamer? What have you been playing?

Not much of a gamer, I did dust off the old PS2 the other day though, I planned to get busy with some old school career mode in Gran Turismo but alas there was no controllers to be found!

How have you been keeping in touch with your team mates?

We have a pretty good group chat, someone's always piping up giving someone else stick most days. We're a tight nit bunch and we're all hanging out to meet up at the pub and talk about training.

What are you most looking forward to about moving to level 3?

My life won't change to much at this level. Being a fully-fledged paid up member of the Front Row Club I should be excited about KFC opening, having had my fair share of experience with matters of the Colonel I'll probably give that a few weeks to let them recycle their old stock.

How have you been keeping fit?

Fitness is generally frowned upon in The Internationals, we've been fairly successful over the last 11 years without it and we're not big on changing things that aren't broke. In saying that, I am planning on this being my 17^th and final season for MSP so I am keen to use this time as an extended Off/Preseason to finally reach the potential John Spillane told me I had on my first Spillane trip in 2004.

I have a Strength and Conditioning coaching background and I spent a small fortune on equipment before lockdown so I have a pretty good set up in my garage. I am currently following the programme I used with the SPC 1^st XV in 2015; they were a fairly successful side, so I am hoping to replicate their performances at 35, watch this space.

What are you most looking forward to about rugby when it eventually returns?

Squeezing into the red jersey and running out on Prince of Wales #2, running at people & scrummaging in the mud and rain is pretty cool and I really miss that. The beer and the banter in the changing rooms with the lads afterwards is what it's really all about and I am hanging out for that.

Support Marist St Pats

Chairman Rob Evans recently shared an update on the state of affairs as we all cope with the uncertainty created by Covid-19.

We appreciate you will all have your own personal and business challenges at this time, but we hope that remaining a financial member of MSP during these tough times will be a rewarding experience in the better times when the surely they will return.

Read Rob's full message here.

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