Rokocoko is aiming to make up for lost time

THE New Zealand team to play Scotland on Saturday may contain some unfamiliar names, but one at least should be enough to warn Scottish supporters of the danger facing their team. After a year out of the side largely because of injury, Joe Rokocoko is back in black and eager to make up for lost time.

The Fiji-born winger burst on to the scene in 2003, making his debut at the age of 20, thus becoming the youngest All Black since the legendary Jonah Lomu. He scored 17 tries in 12 Tests that year – a world record – and earned a Player of the Year nomination from the International Rugby Players' Association.

Rokocoko was in the New Zealand team which competed in the World Cup that year and also in 2007. In fact, his last Test to date was last year's quarter-final in Cardiff, when New Zealand were beaten 20-18 by France.

Wrist damage ruled him out for a while after that, and he was just getting back into the swing of things when he damaged a hamstring while attempting what he described yesterday as "a stupid kick". He has thus been stuck on 48 caps for the past 12 months, and is now itching to make up for lost time.

"I've just put it all away," he said yesterday when asked about the frustrations of the past year. "I've pretty much chucked it to the back of my mind, and I'm just really looking forward to playing for the All Blacks again.

"It feels like I'm new to the team again, and I'm happy and excited to be part of the team and playing footy this weekend. There's a lot of new faces – new young guys bringing excitement and enthusiasm to the team.

"I feel fresh again after missing the Tri-Nations. It's another new challenge for me."

It will be another new challenge for the Scottish defence as well, in particular for Thom Evans, who will line up directly opposite him on the right wing. The 2008 model of Rokocoko is a more complex rugby player to the one we have seen in the past. In his early days as an international he was primarily a runner and a finisher, and did so well at those tasks that he did not have to think about learning new tricks.

Since the introduction of experimental law variations this season, however, many matches have seen a lot more kicking. As a consequence, Rokocoko and his fellow members of the back three now spend a considerable amount of time working on such matters.

"The majority of work we do after training, in a 20-minute window, it's been concentrating on kicking and high balls," he explained. "It used to be one on ones, or just passing, but now the majority is kicking.

"It's just trying to be the best you can be. You want to have a lot of things in your armoury and kicking is one of them. It's a good skill to have on board."

Even when he was a regular in the Test side, Rokocoko did not take his place for granted – an attitude which surely helped when he was no longer included. "You never own this jersey," was how he summed up his ethos. "You're more of a caretaker."

He may never thought he owned the jersey, but nor, over the past year, did he succumb to worries that he would never take care of it again. Still only 25, he is confident he has a lot more to offer at this level.

"Since last year I've just wanted to come back. I've been part of this team since 2003 and you miss it. You miss the environment, the challenges, and the big matches.

"Being chosen for this squad is a true pleasure for me, and it feels that I'm making my debut again. You know it's a special team, and I still want to be a part of it. I felt like there's no chance of leaving it yet."

A player who once harboured hopes of representing New Zealand alongside the likes of Rokocoko will be making his debut for England against the Pacific Islanders on Saturday. Riki Flutey of Wasps played for the New Zealand under-19s and under-21s, but after never representing the full team has switched his allegiance to England, having qualified for the country on residency grounds.

"I am just really excited and proud to be representing England," he said yesterday. "I was born and raised in New Zealand and a part of my heart will always be there, but I've been living here for three years and me and my family are really enjoying it."

Flutey is playing at inside centre, one position out from Danny Cipriani, the man around whom the new England side is to be built. "Danny's a fantastic player, a dedicated professional, and that showed when he came back four weeks early from his injury," Flutey said of his clubmate. "He's got all the skills of a Carlos Spencer and of Dan Carter (former and current All Blacks stand-offs], and he's only just turned 21.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing his game develop. I've played at ten most of my career and understand the decision-making they go through. If I can help out, fantastic."