Somerville reaches pinnacle

By WYNNE GRAY

PARIS - A first-test start against France, a personal duel with Sylvain Marconnet, a battle in front of 78,000 people at a stacked Stade de France.

It doesn't get much bigger than this for Greg Somerville, the rising All Black prop who does not turn 23 until later this month.

The man they call Yoda, after the little green man in the movie Star Wars, is charged with anchoring the All Black scrum on the tighthead side to blunt the French progress in their favourite, macho, set-piece phase of the game.

This is Somerville's fourth test after starts against Tonga and Scotland and coming off the bench against the Springboks.

It is a huge step for the country boy from Wairoa, who made his NPC debut only in late 1998. But he showed for most of this season that he was pushing Kees Meeuws hard for his place and when the test regular fell victim to a leg injury, Somerville headed straight for the No 3 jersey.

It is a journey which began in earnest when he was spotted by Canterbury assistant coach Steve Hansen playing for the Vikings B side.

"We saw him and thought he had the talent and attributes we wanted," Hansen said. "He had the physical build to develop while we felt he had the attitude and ticker to go all the way.

"Ironically, the day we went to watch him, he got done, but we had done our homework and felt he was the guy for us."

Persuading Somerville to head south from Hawkes Bay was no trouble.

Somerville wanted to expand his rugby career and pursue a diploma in farm management at Lincoln University. The twin aims were met in Canterbury.

Rugby has been his greatest success though, and the diploma has been neglected as he revelled in his sporting achievements.

Last season he propped for New Zealand A against France in Hamilton. His opponent was bristly veteran Franck Tournaire, and his experience familiar to those discovering French forward play.

"They work hard on their scrum. They like that gladiatorial challenge. They take it as a real insult if they are moved," Somerville said.

Tournaire is on the bench this weekend and Christian Califano has been switched to tighthead. That leaves Somerville to confront Marconnet, only 24, but a prop rated highly by his club and former Queensland coach John Connolly.

"He could be the best loosehead in the world but he does need to work a lot more on his game," Connolly said.

When France dealt to the All Blacks in the World Cup semifinal, Somerville watched in shock the television coverage in Wales where he was playing for the Legends XV.

"It was an experience just to see how the French can get up for some games," he recalled. "Obviously, we do not want to go the same way. It would damage a good season. We want to look back with satisfaction from this trip instead of stumbling, but it will be a rough day no doubt."

* Coverage of the game begins on Sky Sport at 8.30 am on Sunday. Delayed coverage starts on TV3 at 12.30 pm.