Publications
Partners
Cape Town - All Blacks Rugby World Cup Sevens star Kurt Baker has explained his naked post-final photo which has subsequently gone viral.
The New Zealand men's team touched down on home soil feeling a sense of mission accomplished after capping off an impressive campaign in perfect style to defend their title in San Francisco on Sunday.
Speaking on his arrival back in Auckland, Baker told Newshub that the prank was designed to amuse team-mates, as they wound down from a stressful week.
"It was just for a bit of a laugh," Baker said.
"I have always sort of done something like that if we win something, so thought I better keep up the tradition, given it was a World Cup.
Baker said the team were celebrating with a "few beers" in the changing room when he continued his tradition of posing for a celebratory nude photo.
Baker stripped off and jumped on the shoulders of team-mate Trael Joass.
"Got to celebrate that. He (Joass) was a sitting duck and just the man for the job," Baker laughed.
Joass said Baker had mentioned the photo opportunity during the week and he had laughed it off, but before he knew it, a naked Baker had hopped on his shoulders.
"He hit me up earlier and told me about this master plan to sit on someone's shoulders if we win the cup," Joass admitted.
"I said 'sweet' - and then he said 'naked'. I told him I would get back to him.
"All of a sudden, he said, 'Right get down, I need to get on your shoulders'.
"It happened pretty quick."
