'Sweet hiding up north': Ex-All Black Rene Ranger's return to the spotlight

After a successful rugby career spanning almost two decades earned him six tests for the All Blacks and established him as a cult figure, Rene Ranger was happy to fade out of the spotlight.

Every professional sportsperson has to plan for life after their career at the top level ends, and Ranger, a drainlayer by trade, was content to move back home to Northland and return to construction work.

Returning to the professional sporting arena in a different sport was not on the agenda but he will do that in his professional boxing debut against former Warriors NRL winger Manu Vatuvei in Auckland on Saturday night.

“I was kind of sweet just hiding up north to be fair and just keeping to myself,” Ranger told the Herald.

“Everyone’s a bit different when they retire from rugby. Some still, like Liam [Messam] and other ex-players, want to jump in the ring and stuff like that. For me, I was kind of trying to keep a low profile, but then I guess just [had] an itch to box and train in that regimen.”

Ranger, a midfielder or winger who became known for his fearlessness and hard-running approach to the game, was well-travelled in his professional rugby career, starting with Northland in the National Provincial Championship in 2006 before breaking into Super Rugby with the Blues in 2009. He spent four years with the Auckland franchise, playing his All Blacks rugby during that stretch, before heading overseas for an opportunity in France.

He returned home to the Blues for another couple of seasons, before taking up opportunities in France, Japan and the United States, then returning to Kiwi shores in 2020 to suit up for Northland again.

In 2021, he was signed by the Crusaders as an injury replacement but did not play a game for the side, and he played his last game for Northland in 2023.

“I kind of figured I was just going to go back to before I made rugby and that was just working. The line of work I’m doing now, it’s pretty hard and physical. When you’re playing rugby for 10 to 15 years professionally, it can be pretty bruising on the body. But then the work I’m doing, I enjoy it, I love doing it,” Ranger said.

“Some fullas still want to keep coaching and stuff. I actually wouldn’t mind doing a bit of coaching, help out clubs and stuff like that, but yeah, everyone takes different routes and stuff like that, so full credit to them.”

Rene Ranger (left), Manu Vatuvei (centre) and Alex Leapai jnr (right) will all feature on the undercard of David Nyika v Floyd Masson. Photo / Photosport

While it’s Ranger’s debut professional bout, Vatuvei comes in with a 2-0 professional record with both wins by stoppage. He most recently fought in May, his first bout in eight years.

The bout will be on the undercard of the IBF cruiserweight world title eliminator between David Nyika and Floyd Masson at Eventfinda Stadium on the North Shore.

The full card was announced in late June, and Ranger said it had been a new challenge trying to fit his training at Wellsford Community Boxing around working fulltime and having time with family.

“There’s days where you leave to work at dark and you come back home at dark. You try to get a bit of leeway to finish early so you can get another hour-and-a-half training session in the evenings there, but then you know, I try and do the old bike and stuff at home.

“Trying to get that fitness up because I think at the end of the day boxing’s all about just trying to keep fit and just trying to fight smart, you know, and [not] start brawling if you don’t want to.”

Ranger has had a boxing bout before, beaten by former NRL player Greg Bird as part of the 2012 Fight For Life charity event.

Now 14 years on, there wasn’t a whole lot the 39-year-old could take out of that one, but he was looking forward to the opportunity to compete again.

“I just wanted to give it a crack and just see how I was. I guess with that first Fight for Life I did, I was already kind of training, so boxing was a bit, I wouldn’t say easy, but like I was training quite a bit back then, where it’s a bit of a difference now,” he said.

“I know Manu, he’s been training pretty hard and whatnot, but yeah, at the end of the day, it’s going to be fun and exciting and hopefully no one gets knocked out.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.