Northland’s Robinson itching to get back on the field

Tom Robinson is itching to get back to competitive rugby and may start against the Brumbies this weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Tom Robinson doesn’t mind starting ahead of Adrian Choat against the Brumbies. In fact, he wants to get the legs pumping after a prolonged hiatus from on-field action.

Shorn of competitive game time since leading the Northland Taniwha in their loss to Waikato last September, Robinson can’t wait for the Blues Super Round clash at AAMI Park in Melbourne tomorrow afternoon to start.

The Blues flanker has been bracketed alongside Choat at blindside and the coaches are excited to have two quality sixes competing for the starting spot. A call on who gets the nod will be made closer to game time. The team was scheduled to fly out to Melbourne yesterday afternoon.

Robinson was hoping to get game time for Northland towards the business end of last year’s Warehouse Bunnings NPC campaign, but the coaches opted to give him sufficient time to recover from vertigo.

His influential, workaholic presence at set piece would be gold, even if he comes off the bench - especially when the game looks to open up in the second half against arguably Australia’s most successful Super Rugby franchise.

“I am real keen to get back out on the field. Fitness is good but match fitness is a bit different altogether but I am ready. The Brumbies are historically the strongest of the Aussie sides. Last year, we beat them only just so they’ll be coming at us.

“They will come hard at the breakdown, set piece and historically they’ve had a strong maul, so we have to watch our discipline and not give them opportunities to play at our end.”

The bruising loose forward said although the team routed Highlanders in the opening round last weekend, the Blues were unhappy with aspects of their performance, such as the breakdown.

The Brumbies will be a different beast in front of mostly Aussie fans, he reckons.

Robinson likes the balance in the Blues’ squad this season which means no one is guaranteed a place in the starting 15.

“There’s so much depth in this team, it’s crazy but it’s really good. You’ve got to perform, otherwise there are plenty of others that can step up and take your place,” he said.

Blues’ head coach Leon MacDonald said Robinson’s return to the squad would provide the team added firepower.

“It’s great to have several options at loose forward and we’ll make a call on Tom and Adrian closer to Sunday with both players making the trip to Melbourne.”

He said despite being played in Australia, the game was considered a home game for the Blues, which were looking to build on their impressive win over the Highlanders last week.

However, the team will be without the services of Akira Ioane, who suffered a knee injury last Saturday and will be spending a period on the sideline.

The starting backline that impressed against the Highlanders remains the same with pivot Beauden Barrett set to play his Blues blazer game, acknowledging 20 appearances for the club.

All six games this weekend will be played at AAMI Park. The Blues travel to Wellington to play the Hurricanes next weekend before hosting defending champions Crusaders at Eden Park in what will be a re-match of last year’s final.