In 1974 Loveridge married his wife Janine, returned to Tariki to run the family farm, played for Inglewood seniors and secured the halfback position in the Taranaki team.
While New Zealand almost lost that match, only winning because of Andy Haden's famed lineout dive, Loveridge played a competent game.
Donaldson remained first choice for the home season of 1979, but Loveridge finally gained the edge and secured the test matches against England and Scotland at the end of the year.
According to Lindsay Knight, for the New Zealand Rugby Museum, "In difficult conditions Loveridge was the perfect complement to an All Black pack which battling into a gale took charge of the ultra confident Lions in the second spell.
Even the most exacting judges declared Loveridge had produced one of the greatest displays of all time and agreed with the assessment of All Black coach Bryce Rope that this had been "Trapper's Test.