Back >>

Rare chance for Flynn

Corey Flynn played the first of his seven Tests back in 2003 as part of the World Cup of that year, but he has never played a Test at home, or against the Springboks.

Sunday, 04 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

Corey Flynn played the first of his seven Tests back in 2003 as part of the World Cup of that year, but he has never played a Test at home, or against the Springboks.

His call-up at last week's team announcement has provided him with a chance to put that to rights either in Auckland next Saturday or in Wellington the weekend after.

"It's all a new experience to me, someone who has been in the game a while but it is actually quite refreshing, it's great," he said.

"It's special," he said of the opportunity. "I've ticked a few boxes in my career and if I can get a crack like this it will be another one ticked.

The Springboks were a force at the moment and they liked to keep the ball in the forwards as they had shown during the Super 14. They were big and New Zealand wouldn't want to be taking a step back and the two Tests would be good matches.

Getting back into the swing of things had not been a problem for Flynn. While he had been out with injury, he had toured with the All Blacks at the end of last year to the Northern Hemisphere and the transition had been seamless when coming into the side on Thursday.

Flynn said his body, which had let him down several times in the past, was good and he was feeling refreshed mentally and physically.

"It's really exciting, we're getting into Tests with our closest rivals so it is going to be good," he said.

The sometimes troublesome lineout had been better this year, but Flynn said it was a constant work-on. There were good days and bad, and after the bad the critics pounced but he said the side would keep on working to get it perfect.

Back >>