All Blacks second-five Sonny Bill Williams has his sights set on a new prize.
The 32-year-old is among a group of 10 Blues players to have enrolled in a Bachelor of Applied Management degree at Otago Polytechnic.
The New Zealand Rugby Players Association and New Zealand Rugby have created the opportunity for players to complete study within their personal development time.
The Blues group, including Williams, will remain based in Auckland, utilising Otago Polytechnic's Queen St campus on occasion.
They follow in the footsteps of other elite sportspeople who have studied through Capable NZ, including sevens legend DJ Forbes, Paralympic athletics coach Raylene Bates, Blackcaps cricketer Grant Elliott, Tongan rugby international Hale T-Pole, Samoan rugby international Seilala Mapusua, Silver Ferns netballers Jodi Brown and Katrina Grant, windsurfing legend Barbara Kendall and White Ferns cricketer Katie Glynn.
Capable NZ undergraduate programmes leader Glenys Ker has worked closely with the Blues players, who began their studies in June.
As a facilitator, Ms Ker guides the players through their learning tasks and gives them academic support where necessary.
"It's the first time Capable NZ has had a group from a sports club undertake this study, with the benefit that they can work as a group, learning and sharing together.
"They have 10 months to complete their studies and hopefully they will graduate in April 2019," said Ms Ker, stressing that the players are continuing their sporting careers.
"I understand that sport is a big part of their lives - it is their career - and they have actually achieved a lot of things, both in and out of sport.
"They are no different from other students, really. They will get as much support as any student.
"At the end of the day, they will still have to meet the academic criteria required of a level seven New Zealand Qualifications Authority-endorsed degree."
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