Anton Segner interview: Behind His Rise Towards The All Blacks
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What is Anton Segner's journey from Germany to the Blues?
Well, I guess this week on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, you know pretty well. He's been in the New Zealand rugby system for some time. You've heard his story about coming from Germany, through Nelson College, through the Crusaders, up to the Blues. And now he's probably in the form of his life. He's playing exceptional footy for the Blues. We'd love to welcome to the show Anton Signer. Thanks for coming on, mate. Yeah, thanks for having me. I was going through all of the stories on you, and there's a lot of Germany stuff. And you're obviously German and very proud of it, which is awesome. But what we thought we might focus on a little bit more as i suppose your approach to rugby because what we've seen in the last little while from you has been really impressive 2026 has been you know to some degree a breakout year for you so much more game time and and so impressive in that game time what what's changed for you
I think that game time plays a big role to be honest. I think you can do, and I think Djibba can agree with me here, that you can do as much training as you want as a rugby player. At the end of the day, actually playing rugby is the best training you can do for it. So yeah, time in the seed and game time under my belt has helped me heaps for sure. Growing into my body and getting used to playing with my current body as well, I feel really comfortable. And, yeah, just making those connections with the boys on the field too makes a huge difference too. You know, learning how everyone plays and that sort of helps with your running lines a little bit and just getting used to being on the field with the boys.
And, yeah, at the end of the day, I'm just enjoying myself and that's why I play the game. So, yeah, I think that's the main reason as to why it's going good for me at the moment.
With the extra minutes, do you feel like as you get more experience, the game almost slows down, decision making becomes a bit easier? Have you felt that this season?
Yeah, for sure. I didn't feel it at the start of the season, just because I was so, yeah, as you say, when the game time isn't quite there, you're so almost tunnel vision in terms of your job, but then as you get more game time I think your perspective sort of widens and things slow down a bit which makes the decision making easier although technically you don't have more time it feels like you've got more time because you've seen the pictures before and you see pictures earlier as well so whether it's at the breakdown and you watch how someone lands in a specific way then you know okay so he's going to land there so I need to be there if I want to have a crack at the ball or I think it's just patterns of play that repeatedly play in your head and then your brain studies it and takes it on, downloads it, and then you can use it to your advantage, I think.
So it's clarity that you just feel in each moment.
How has Anton Segner transformed his game in Super Rugby?
Yeah, for sure. Clarity and a certain sense of calmness too, because you know that you've been in that situation before and you've seen all these little pictures before, these little cues. And I think a lot of it, to be honest, happens in the subconscious. I think your brain picks up certain images and certain pictures subconsciously. So then when you see it over and over, you know what to do.
Especially ball carrying, you lead in terms of the loosies in New Zealand in particular, in terms of the dominance of your carry. It just looks like you've had a bit of a conviction like, oh, it's on for me to have a crack here. And you've actually gone over the top of players and then obviously have the finesse skills still as well.
I think for me, that's a big confidence thing. I've put on a couple of kilos since last year. So that definitely helped me in terms of my dominant, not just when carrying, but in contact in general. But it's also been a huge work on for me over the last few years. And it's not something that has just magically appeared this year. I've worked on it with a few other boys as well, with Sam Derry and a few other boys, just making sure that we get over the gain line, whether it's with footwork or, again, seeing pictures and taking the space at the end of the day.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is Anton Segner's journey from Germany to the Blues?
0:00–2:36
2
How has Anton Segner transformed his game in Super Rugby?
2:36–9:14
3
What insights does Anton Segner share about game experience and decision-making?
9:14–18:07
4
How does Anton Segner maintain his physical fitness and weight?
18:07–30:29
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from Aotearoa Rugby Pod
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