When most people retire, their next step is to start kicking things off their bucket list.
With that in mind, Tony Hargood is walking the length of New Zealand and kicking a goal at all 26 of the country’s major rugby stadiums, only stopping to meet local rugby legends.
Affectionately known as "Big T", the 60-year-old Masterton man recently retired after 30 years as a player, coach, referee and professional rugby administrator — 11 as chief executive of the Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union.
The journey was his "final whistle" to the game which had given him so much, he said.
"I’ve always wanted to walk the length of New Zealand, and I thought I could bring some awareness to the New Zealand Rugby Foundation and raise some funds for it at the same time."
The foundation works to ensure the message of safety first is front-of-mind for all rugby players, and also provides comprehensive life-time emotional and financial support to players who are seriously injured in the game.
He said all 26 balls kicked over the posts at the country’s major stadiums would be given to the New Zealand Rugby Foundation, to be auctioned off at the completion of his walk.
"It’s never been done before — no-one’s ever kicked a goal at every stadium."
At this stage, he hoped to complete the journey by early April next year.
He started in Invercargill last week and kicked his first goal at Rugby Park Stadium during the halftime break of the Southland v Tasman game.
Yesterday, he was at Forsyth Barr Stadium for his second attempt at goal.
"I’ve got the first ones over, so my kicking stats are 100% at the moment.
"I want to keep that average up.
"But when you’re 60, you never know what could happen.
"You also don’t know what’s going to happen when there’s a 100-mile wind coming in from the west and how that’s going to affect the kick.
"I might need to have several attempts at it."
He was "just a good average club player" in his day, but he did kick goals in games, so he did have "some sort of technique", he said.
"I do have a little bit of pedigree there, but I’m not world-class.
"Hopefully, I’ll only get better as I go."
Despite the first seven days of his walk being filled with "rain, arctic blasts and hailstorms", he had enjoyed the southern scenery and had only accumulated two "mighty big" blisters on his feet.
"I’ve got medical support around that, so we’ll get there."
His next stop would be in Oamaru later in the week, where he would kick another goal at Whitestone Contracting Stadium.
