Len Ikitau and Darcy Swain are inseparable mates. But for 80 minutes, the friendship go on hold as they face off for the first time ever.
Swain has returned to his adopted home Canberra as part of a Force side gunning for an upset at GIO Stadium on Saturday.
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It’s a trip he’s made before for his new club, featuring in their pre-season trials.
However, it’ll be the first time he goes up against his best mate Ikitau, who has been with the second-rower all the way.
“It is weird. We came back for the trial, so it's sort of second time around not as bad,” Swain said.
“It feels good to come back and see all these boys again..but yeah it’s a weird feeling.
“It's funny because we've done everything together,” Ikitau added as the pair did media together.
“We've done school, NRC, club Rugby, Wallabies, Brumbies, so it's really weird.
Despite the thousands of kilometres between them, the two remain close, texting every day and keeping in touch with their young families.
Swain’s move to the west brought the pair to tears as the 17-Test Wallabies looks to get back to the international stage.
“I tried to talk him out of it. I was supporting him, but really I was hoping that he would pull the offer…He told me to cry in that interview,” Ikitau joked.
“I'm happy for him. I think he's happy over at the Force. His family's happy, they get to go to the beach every day and sit in the sun. I think he's enjoying his time there and I'm just happy for him at the moment.
“He did that interview and I saw him walk straight up the stairs and didn't even talk to me,” Swain rebutted.
When I told Len that I was going, he was happy for me but at the same time he was sad.”
Swain was the main driver for Ikitau to come to the Brumbies, initially recruiting him down to Tuggeranong a year after the lock made the move.
It sums up the friendship: Ikitau wanting to be like Swain and follow his footsteps all the way to the gold jersey.
“We were sort of hoping (the game) would be a little bit further away from the trial because obviously we were here three weeks ago so it feels like we just caught up with Len but I think it's going to be weird now.
“After this game we go home and I won't see Len for a few months, maybe longer pending Wallabies selection.
“It feels good this little time of the year because we get to be around mates and whatnot. But, it's going to feel weird at the end of the year just not seeing him around as much as we have been.
“I didn’t like it being so close together but it’s Rugby so I can’t really control the fixtures,” Ikitau added.
The pair knows there’s going to be a point where the two cross paths on the field.
At that time, they will have to put aside a lifetime of memories that began in primary school, when Swain watched Ikitau ‘bunce’ (bump) everyone off.
“It’s just another game. Len's not my mate. I'll try and come for him. I know he's going to try and come me too,” Swain said, unable to hold a straight face,
“If he's in my channel, then I'd like to tackle him, but I'll try my best to stay away,” the centre responded.
“I'll just play on the edges. Dicey shouldn't be on the edges, so I should be alright.”
