Gerry Thornley talks to an All Black who feels he has unfinished business with the national team
Troy Flavell returned from the wilderness against Ireland last Saturday and, no less than Brian O'Driscoll, there was a redemptory feel to his match-winning comeback try as a replacement in the first Test in Hamilton. His five-year exile was in large part self-imposed, and along the way New Zealand rugby's answer to Grizzly Adams has had to cage the beast within, so to speak.
Flavell's return provided the feel-good story of the first Test. Seemingly set for a long and productive All Black career when winning 15 caps in 2000 and 2001, injuries and exile prompted a two-year sojourn to Japan, albeit a cathartic one.
Blessed with a supremely athletic, 1.95m, 111kg frame, and seemingly the answer to Graham Henry's prayers in that he is a former ball-carrying blindside flanker who can double up as a lock, Flavell was also cursed by a spate of knee injuries and a fiery temper. "I thought that I'd be around for a while, but injuries drove me out and then other things followed on from there," he reflected.
His second coming is, he admits, "definitely a lot sweeter". His test career went into freefall with knee surgery in 2002, and his attempted return stalled before it started in the opening game of the 2003 Super 12 when he stamped on the head of the Chiefs' Fijian hooker Greg Smith. The resultant 12-week ban ruled him out of the remainder of the Super 12 but the ill-disciplined moment itself ruled him out of John Mitchell's thinking for the 2003 World Cup.
"That was something that I put down to being a bit younger." So he's caged the beast? "Oh yeah, if you want to put it that way," he says, revealing he uses "little triggers" to keep his famed short fuse in check.
You sense, clearly, it took him to a very dark place, and a change of scene was imperative. Ask him why he went to the Tokyo Club for two years and he says: "Injuries; I wasn't really enjoying my rugby, I wasn't making the teams; my future in New Zealand rugby wasn't looking that bright, and I made a choice for me and my family."
Clearly it rejuvenated him. "Yeah, it did. It was good to get away from New Zealand rugby, the expectations are quite high, even though the players can handle them. There's a lot of pressure to perform and we got to do a lot of travelling.
"Even though there was a pressure to perform in Japan, we didn't a get a lot of those outside influences, and you could focus on your rugby and feel good. Initially it was a bit of a culture shock. But me and my wife jumped right into the culture, tried to learn the language but just adapted to their way of life."
His sole purpose for coming back to New Zealand rugby was to make the All Blacks team. "I felt like I was unfinished here in New Zealand. I felt like I was still playing pretty good rugby so I decided to come back and give it another crack."
He contacted Henry, who was responsive to Flavell's renewed ambition. If not quite the tearaway of yore, at 29 he should now be around his peak.
"Apart from the grey hairs, I'm probably a lot more solid. I suppose, it's like a farmer, he just gets harder. I've just got that now, and I'm probably just a little bit older and wiser on the field."
One can imagine his emotions last week when he took that offload from Ma'a Nonu and saw a clear run to the line, throwing the ball into the air and saluting the crowd. "Yeah, it was a pretty big occasion for myself. It's been a while, it's been five years. There were a few things going through my mind, doing my job as an All Black player, helping out the boys, and making a statement.
Flavell's seamless return highlights how easy it appears to be for the All Blacks players to step back into the Test set-up. Flavell echoes the sentiments of team-mates who talk of the smooth structures put into place by the All Blacks' think tank.
"It's a lot more professional. There's a lot more professionals involved as well. We've got different guys helping us out in different areas of our game."
Flavell's impact as a replacement last week was significant, providing a better target than Greg Rawlinson in the lineout, making a physical impact at the breakdown, and not alone coming up with that decisive late try but also the big hit on Paul O'Connell which forced a crucial late turnover. But starting will be a greater challenge. Nevertheless, he warned Ireland a vast All Blacks improvement was brewing after the scratchy 34-23 win at Hamilton.
"We'd like to think if we played to our potential, we'd clean them off the field, but we'd have to play to our potential. We're definitely looking a lot sharper than last week. I think last week was some cobwebs being blown out."
Now he's itching for a start on his provincial home ground. "Yeah, starting, Eden Park, there'll be a huge crowd, my family and friends will be there, and I've got a good number on my back."
Troy is back.
