That is possibly why he merely shrugs his shoulders when he talks about a medical procedure that helped him get back on track after a neck injury recently.
Highlanders prop de Groot, speaking in Sydney before the All Blacks’ test against the Wallabies on Saturday evening, revealed more details about how he was treated for a bulging disc in his neck that was pressing on a nerve and causing arm weakness.
‘‘I got an injection through the front of the neck to get to the nerve, which took the bulge off the nerve, so it was just a matter of time and rehabbing my neck and getting the strength back in my left arm.
‘‘It’s not that gruesome. It’s just a needle.
‘‘They stick it in 10mm, run you through the machine, and see if they’re on track towards the nerve.’’
After that experience, facing the Wallabies props will seem like child’s play.
De Groot is chomping at the bit to return to test rugby after regaining some match fitness with a run for the Stags last week.
He got up in the middle of the night to watch his team-mates lose both tests to the Springboks, and while he was frustrated not to be in the battle, he was proud of the All Blacks’ efforts.
The All Blacks have lost three of their seven tests this year, and while it feels like there has not really been widespread or intense criticism, there is no doubt they have heard enough of the notorious ‘‘outside noise’’ to give them some extra motivation this week.
‘‘It is tough at times,’’ de Groot said.
‘‘Personally, I try not to read into what’s out there or comments that are getting made.
‘‘I suppose fans and the media love us when we’re doing well, and they tend to pull us down when we’re down.
‘‘I think the team’s in a good spot, and the coaching group and everyone here are working hard to get the performances the fans deserve to watch.’’
The All Blacks are warm favourites to account for the struggling Wallabies and maintain their grip on the Bledisloe Cup but there is no suggestion a transtasman clash is somehow a step down from the intensity of a Springbok test.
‘‘There’s a lot of history there. It’s an easy game to get up for,’’ de Groot said.
‘‘The Wallabies are a wounded beast at the moment, but so we are, and we want to get one back.’’
Team-mate Anton Lienert-Brown expects the All Blacks to be highly motivated to perform well in Sydney.
They can no longer win the Rugby Championship but they want to bounce back from the two narrow losses in South Africa.
‘‘We take losses personally. We don’t listen to a lot of outside noise but we understand the privilege it is to wear that black jersey and the responsibility that comes with it,’’ Lienert-Brown said.
‘‘Going to South Africa and not getting the result hurt. But we’ll use that hurt in the right way.’’
Lienert-Brown started at centre in the test against Fiji in San Diego and the first test against Argentina but has been back on the bench in the past three tests.
Some feel he is a better option than converted winger Rieko Ioane in the midfield.
‘‘You always want to be starting, but it’s about team first,’’ Lienert-Brown said.
‘‘I’ve had conversations with coaches about the reasons why, and I understand that at the moment it’s a bench role.
‘‘I’ll push as hard as I can to be starting. But I’m grateful to be in the squad and putting on the black jersey.’’
