News

Mealamu eyes a starting berth

August 04 2008

Keven Mealamu is ready to reclaim the All Black hooking shirt, having failed to start a single Test in 2008.

Mealamu, a veteran of 57 Tests for New Zealand, has had to play second fiddle to Andrew Hore this season - all seven of his Test appearances in 2008 have come from the bench.

A former bench warmer himself for New Zealand Hore has been in fine form this season, making Mealamu's job all the harder.

The All Blacks now have a four-day rest period before flying out to South Africa for next Saturday's Cape Town Test, a game Mealamu is targeting to start in.

"You have to aim for that (to start)," Mealamu told Yahoo!Xtra.

"That is what keeps you wanting to play the game, because you want to get out there and play in the number two jersey.

"Obviously this is the role they see me in at the moment. I just have to make sure I can do the role well and keep working towards the goal of getting back there and playing there.

"You have to put the team first and do the job for the team.

"But you have to be hungry to get out there and start. That is what makes rugby players good, the hunger to want to be out there."

And Mealamu was quick to admit his form from the bench has not been a true reflection of his abilities, citing the ELVs and the affect they are having on Test rugby as one of the factors.

That included ridding the game of some of its former structure, making some aspects of the game a lottery. He said entering a match in that state off the bench was a tough ask.

"It has been tough coming in late in the game, the games have been really unstructured and it's been hard to have a real impact in the game," he said.

"I just have to get used to the role I am in at the moment and try and make an impact.

"It is tough, because the game is unstructured during the minutes we are on the field. We just need to make sure that myself and the guys who come on the field apply ourselves well.

"It is more because of the ELVs, all the quick taps and stuff. Both teams are playing a bit more desperately in the last 10 or 15 minutes. So we need to make sure that we are prepared for that sort of rugby once we get on."

Mealamu also heaped praise on uncapped hooker Hikawera Elliot, who spent two days with the All Blacks squad in the build up to the second Bledisloe Cup encounter.

In the end Elliot was not required, as Hore was passed fit, and he returned to ANZ Cup duty with the Magpies. But in the short time he was with the All Blacks squad he did enough to impress Mealamu.

"He was only in for a couple of days but he trained really well," Mealamu said.

"For him, he was really enjoying the moment. For the first couple of days in the All Black camp, he was here for the big signing session.

"I think he really enjoyed it and good on him for making it into here. I know it is always exciting times when you first come into camp, it is always a dream come true."