Flying fullback Muliaina lives his dream

Mils Muliaina says the squad system encourages competition and gets the best out of players. Picture / Brett Phibbs

It's an image that's played out all round the country down through the decades.

The schoolboy nipping off from class, ducking through the gates on the blindside of the attendant for a glimpse of the big stars from halfway round the world.

Mils Muliaina was no different when the Lions visited Southland in 1993.

The Cargill High School student wanted a look at these blokes previously seen only on the square box. The memory remains clear.

"The big thing I remember is looking at Gavin Hastings," Muliaina said this week.

"To see someone like that, to think, gee there's the Scotland captain, the Lions captain, and there he is. And he's only human. I remember it being a big buzz - one of my fondest memories.

"I wanted to be playing the Lions when they came back, for Southland."

Fast-forward 10 years, and Muliaina is making his test debut in Wellington against England, a few months shy of their World Cup triumph in Sydney.

It was a grubby night, a tough introduction. What's worse, England won thanks to five Jonny Wilkinson penalties. A familiar ring, that.

Then came the World Cup and that awful night when the dream died hard, 22-10 to Australia in the semifinal.

But over the following year, Muliaina cemented himself as the top No 15, a strong runner, safe defender, a good pair of hands at the back.

However, come the opening test of the biggest series in years, and Muliaina is on the bench, usurped by Leon MacDonald.

MacDonald produced such compelling form for the Crusaders on their march to a fifth Super 12 title that he got the nod for Jade Stadium last weekend.

But if Muliaina, highly rated for his consistent form throughout the past All Blacks year and the encumbent since the scintillating win over France in Paris last November, was dirty at being overlooked for the first Lions test he hides it well.

"You've got to show the coaches you're good enough to be there," he said.

"Competition is healthy. It brings out the best in people, especially in my case the way Leon's been playing.

"I know I've got an opportunity to get up to what he played last week, and try to better it. It's hard, but it's great, and it can only be good for the team."

Graham Henry and fellow selectors Steve Hansen, Wayne Smith and Sir Brian Lochore are looking to establish depth in all positions.

They call it a squad, or rotational system, but to those who remember the good old days when the best XV played every test, it must seem anathema.

"I don't think it's that difficult," Muliaina said. "Obviously the coaches have told us where they see things.

"That's what the coaches are looking for, being able to have guys who can step into a role if someone goes down, and be the equal in talent.

"And that can only be healthy for New Zealand rugby."

Muliaina was impressed with what the All Blacks achieved in the first test. There is a growing vibe within the team that they might have what it takes to become a consistently outstanding side.

There is a desire to make sure that win in Paris was not a one-off.

Last Saturday, conditions were as brutal as could be imagined. Yet a case can be made that the demolition of the Lions was a superior display to the dismantling of the French on a near-perfect night seven months ago.

"That's what we want to do: have consistency. We can't go backwards. We've got to step up another notch.

"You know this is a crucial test. We haven't really won anything yet."

Muliaina admitted he is a tough marker of his own game, but equally tries to enjoy the good bits.

"I tend to sit back - it takes a while for the adrenalin to come down.

"By Monday or Tuesday I start to look at things I could have done better, but also the things I did well. I tend to be pretty critical of the small things.

"I like to make sure the basics are there."

So 12 years on, he missed his chance of playing for Southland against the Lions. He moved to Auckland in 1998, but there is a postscript: the Southland team who lost gallantly to the Lions on June 21 did contain a Muliaina, Mils' brother Faolua, who was second five-eighth.

Malili Muliaina

Born: Salesi, Samoa, July 31, 1980

Height: 1.84m

Weight: 92kg

Position: Fullback

All Black debut: v England, Wellington 2003

Tests: 27

Tries: 14

Super 12: Blues

Province: Auckland