Despite switching codes, and moving to the other side of the world, David Kidwell is committed to the Māori NRL All-Stars campaign in 2023.
The Māori NRL All-Stars coach, and former Kiwi Rugby League coach and player will next month fly to Argentina to take up the defensive coach role with the Pumas, working under Michael Cheika.
The Ngāi Tahu uri, who until yesterday was with the Parramatta Eels in the NRL, is excited by the opportunity to learn under a new coach, in a new sport.
"This opportunity has come up and I thought why not stretch myself as a coach learn under a new head coach who thinks outside the square, learn from other international coaches over in Argentina and the way they think and prepare and all of this knowledge that you're gathering up is knowledge you can learn and take into your next adventure," he told teaomāori.news.
His decision to join the Pumas means he has left the Eels, and therefore the NRL effective immediately. But he says he would love to remain at the helm of the Māori All-Stars in February, a role and a team he has an immense passion for.
"I said to Michael one of my passions is the Māori All Stars rugby league team, at the start of the year and I still want to be able to coach that. And he understood that. It's funny because he's coaching the Lebanon rugby league team at the Rugby League World Cup. So we have two coaches who are cross-coding."
Kidwell believes his passion for his Māoritanga will help him gel with the Pumas, who he says are as equally passionate about their culture. That includes having to brush up on his Spanish before he was introduced to Argentinian media yesterday.
"I had to really research what they were like. And first of all, they're very passionate people very similar to us Māori and I wanted to dig deep into their culture and find that connection. I've got a bit of a thing and a theme on what I'm going to do first of all in there when I first meet them."
Cheika, the former Wallabies coach sounded out Kidwell a little over a month ago to join him in the coaches' box in Argentina as a defensive coach. Kidwell admitted to Cheika that he knew very little about the 15-man code, but says Cheika liked his 'thought patterns'.
"At that point, it was about at the end of the year after my official duties with the Paramatta Eels. Then I got a phone call about 48 hours later saying 'no, I need you now".
"I said 'well if you get X, Y and Zed across, I'll have to really think about my family and he was pretty clear on what he wanted from me. And so I thought, why not? I'm not getting any younger."
After a nearly 30-year professional career playing and coaching league in Australia and the UK, it's not his first foray into the world of lineouts and scrum resets. As a schoolboy in Christchurch, he played union at school, making a few Canterbury representative sides. His mother pushed him back into rugby league, but he says he has always maintained a keen interest in union.
"It's a world game, obviously following the All Blacks and seeing the World Cups and the Crusaders is my team in Super Rugby."
One of his first assignments with the Pumas will be the Rugby Championship in August when his hometown Christchurch hosts the All Blacks match against Argentina. It will be the first time Kidwell will witness the haka in opposition but says it will be a moment he is as proud of as any other.
"I will still be getting chills when they do the haka, still be proud of our people and what they represent.
"But equally, I'll be on the other side proud as that we're going into war basically, and it's going to be tough and it's going to be a challenge.
It will be a special moment for the Kidwell whānau as well. David hasn't been able to visit Christchurch for over three years due to the pandemic and is looking forward to converting them to the Argentinian team with himself.
"I'll have to be taking all the tickets off the Argies and get my little corner down there, all dressed up in blue and white. I know they support me 100%.
Kidwell says his code-switching doesn't mean the door is completely closed on rugby league and says while in South America he will be doing his best to promote the 13-man code.
"It's amazing actually. They watch a lot of rugby league over there. They're very interested in the physicality of the game. I'll be spreading the gospel, I've got about four jerseys I can wear over there. I can spread the word definitely."