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Thrush pushes claims
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Jeremy Thrush is ready to stamp his mark on this year's ITM Cup as he looks to rediscover the form that had him in All Blacks contention in late 2008. |
Friday, 30 July 2010
Sportal.co.nz
Jeremy Thrush is ready to stamp his mark on this year's ITM Cup as he looks to rediscover the form that had him in All Blacks contention in late 2008.
The 25-year-old Wellington lock missed out to Ross Filipo for that end of year tour and since then has been unable to force his way back into Graham Henry's thoughts with a shoulder injury curtailing his provincial season last year and keeping him out of the early part of the Hurricanes' faltering 2010 Super 14 campaign.
Now fully fit Thrush is determined to put those set-backs behind him and take on board what Wellington coach Jamie Joseph and former Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper have told him he needs to improve on.
"I'm not going to shy away from the fact I haven't been playing as well as people maybe think I was two years ago," he said. "There's been reasons behind that with injuries and just not really being up to scratch personally.
"I have put a big circle around the ITM Cup to hopefully make some steps forward to where I was a couple of years ago."
Thrush should get a fair idea of how he is travelling when he comes up against ex-All Black second rower Chris Jack in this weekend's opener against Tasman in Wellington.
Tasman has given the capital boys a good run for their money in the last two encounters between to the sides – losing the 2008 Ranfurly Shield challenge 20-26 and going down 14-22 in Blenheim last year.
Thrush is expecting more of the same at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.
"I remember the last game I played against them was when we'd just got the Ranfurly Shield and they were our first challengers. They really took it to us," he said.
"The whole competition is going to be like that this year. They look at us as being one of the top five provinces and they want to bring their A-game every time."
The added incentive for all provinces this year is the fact only the top seven teams will be part of the premier tier in next year's revamped competition.
"I think all the teams will be more difficult to play because everyone is fighting for a place in the top seven," said coach Jamie Joseph.
"The fact that the competition has already been set and there will only be seven teams playing in that first division means everyone is under the pump. I expect a massive game and a massive challenge from Tasman."
Joseph's future with the Lions still remains up in the air but Thrush said the players' only concern was making the team on Sunday.
"Most of the boys are just keen to push for a spot in the 22 and 15 this week. You know how [Jamie] is. He's pretty hard-nosed so if you're not up to your game you're out and someone else is in.
"To be honest I'm just worrying about playing good footy. It's been a while since I've done that."
Two players definitely absent this week are prop David Te Moana and openside flanker Serge Lilo.
Te Moana is battling with an ankle injury, while Lilo hurt a shoulder in training on Tuesday and Joseph admitted the prognosis was not looking good for the 25-year-old loose forward.
"It looks pretty bad. He's certainly out for this week … and it looks a bit worse than a week or two [on the sidelines]."
Neemia Tialata missed training again on Thursday with the flu but is expected to be available for Sunday, while Alby Mathewson will link up with the squad on Friday after being released from his All Blacks duties in Melbourne.
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