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Rokocoko keeps lid on excitement

Joe Rokocoko has been trying to keep the lid on the excitement he feels as he prepares to go back into rugby battle with the Springboks with the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.

Friday, 09 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

Joe Rokocoko has been trying to keep the lid on the excitement he feels as he prepares to go back into rugby battle with the Springboks with the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.

It has been a road the 63-Test veteran has not often travelled in regaining his spot in the starting XV but it is one he has earned on merit this year, even if critics have been lining him as being past his best.

The fact he is 27 years of age and has a record of 45 Test tries behind him seems to count for little although the fact he and fullback Mils Muliaina made their Test debuts together and offer New Zealand experience of a quality not many teams in the world enjoy.

But Rokocoko is realistic after being dropped from the end-of-season tour last year, and having to fight his way back with the Blues, where he succeeded with try-scoring that ranked with the best in the tournament.

"It's a big Test for myself, my career and where I stand. You test yourself against the best and you always try to measure yourself against the best and this is the team [the Springboks] that I get to do it against," he said.

Rokocoko has the advantage of being in his home city and is able to slip back into the bosom of his family in the evenings to take his mind off the rugby and to ensure that he is refreshed and fully charged for duty on Saturday.

Rokocoko said he was happy with his efforts both in the Super 14 and in the preliminary Test matches against Ireland and Wales and answering his critics was something he was keen to do with the chance given him by the selectors on Saturday.

"I'm just excited, I can't wait," he said.

The competition for a position on the wings was good for him, for the team and for the country and it was a continuation of that earlier in his career when he was battling with Doug Howlett and Rico Gear for a place in the side.

He felt it built him as a player to feed off the competition from others and the expectations of the fans.

"I'm feeling a lot smarter in rugby terms and everything is slower in front of me now so you are reading things more slowly and it is not too fast in front of your face," he said.

And the final comfort was having Muliaina back from injury to provide the assurance, in partnership with Cory Jane as the rearguard of the side, he said.

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