How would you handle facing the Haka and playing against the best rugby team in the world - the All Blacks - in front of a record crowd and a television audience in the millions?
Bullaburra native Hayden Smith described it as "the experience of a lifetime" after playing lock forward for the USA Eagles in front of a sold-out Soldier's Field, home of NFL's Chicago Bears, on Saturday night.
Although the All Blacks beat the 18th ranked Eagles by 74-6, the game drew a crowd of 61,500 easily smashing the previous US rugby home crowd of 20,181 set in June 2013 [against Ireland in Houston] and was shown live across America on NBC.
The spectacle captured the curiosity and attention of rugby-starved American sports fans, whose national side has already qualified to play in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, despite not many Americans knowing it.
It prompted USA Rugby chief executive officer Nigel Melville to call it the "biggest game in US rugby history".
Smith - who plays for London-based rugby club Saracens and had a stint in the NFL in 2012/13 with the New York Jets - told the Gazette on Monday "it was an amazing atmosphere to play in a packed stadium in Chicago . . . just electric".
"Even speaking to the guys from the All Blacks afterwards, they said they found it incredible.
"The crowd was really into it.
“Facing it [the Haka] was pretty intense, but what I found equally special was when the whole crowd were in full voice for the American national anthem and you could feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
“I think it will be something I’ll remember forever,” said Smith, who lived in the USA for eight years and played his first competitive rugby there before moving to London.
“The city itself was really buzzing all week and there was a lot of media coverage, which meant many people who hadn’t seen rugby before could experience it.”
After an impressive opening 20 minutes by America in which they scored two penalties and kept New Zealand to a 12-6 lead, they quickly faded away against the reigning World Cup champions.
And despite resting some key players ahead of their European tour, the All Blacks still had the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg, Aaron Cruden, Kieran Read, Patrick Tuipolotu and Daniel Carter on the field.
“The All Blacks are the fastest team you are ever going to play against,” Smith said.
“We’re improving, but US rugby is not at a stage to get close to them yet.”
Smith said his club, Saracens, however have the talent and depth to go all the way in the Aviva Premiership and European Club Championships in 2014 after finishing runners-up last year.
The club is currently coming second in The Premiership after six rounds and are just three points behind Northampton.
“We’ve got a really strong team again this year and we’re hoping to be competing for the silverware again.
“It was good beginning a new season having had a full pre-season of training, which I didn’t have after my season in the NFL.
“I’ve found that helpful in terms of getting my fitness level back up to where it should be.”
