KEY POINTS:
From fringe utility to first-choice All Blacks lock, Troy Flavell admits there is a weight on his shoulders that he never anticipated this early in rugby World Cup year.
"It's the hot spot at the moment isn't it?" Flavell mused as he prepared to take the chief locking
responsibilities into the test against Canada in Hamilton on Saturday.
He will pack down alongside debutant Ross Filipo in a game New Zealand should win in a canter.
However, a week later the heat will truly be applied when he carries the mantle of chief ball-winner into the Tri-Nations test against the Springboks at Durban.
His rapid promotion comes through injuries to Ali Williams and Keith Robinson, and two weeks of parental leave to Chris Jack, the squad's other specialist lock.
Flavell, whose relatively short 1.95m frame has been employed as much at blindside flanker as lock throughout an 11-year first-class career, said he could already feel the expectation on him growing.
"Yeah, I do, but it's a good pressure," he said.
"Hopefully it'll bring out some good rugby, some better rugby from me. I'll use it as a positive."
He regards the coming weeks as a chance to stamp himself as a lock of test calibre, and is keen to shed his long-held utility tag.
"I'm probably going to be scarred with that for the rest of my career. I think I can prove myself in this position," he said.
A brutally honest Flavell said it was hard not to look beyond this week to the enormous challenge awaiting in South Africa.
He said having "knocked bodies" with the Springboks forwards for several seasons of Super 14, the challenge of facing their giant pack was diluted somewhat.
"You've got to look at what is around the corner. For us (the Canada test) is a good opportunity to work on some of our themes we've been practising."
Flavell, 30, has enjoyed getting to know Filipo this week and is confident the pair's lack of height will not count against them as lineouts are as much about technique and timing.
"Obviously there are aerial dynamics for the position but Rosco played really well in the Super 14 in that area," he said.
"We're both comfortable. He's getting up to speed with all the plays, he's taken a lot of info on in the last couple of days and is coping well."
Meanwhile, there was yet another twist in the All Blacks' other problem position today when centre Conrad Smith's niggling hamstring injury ruled him out of the Canada match.
Management said Smith came close to passing a fitness test yesterday but medical staff deemed it an unnecessary risk to play him and possibly cause another setback in his rehabilitation.
Smith, who also will not travel to Durban, has been replaced this week by usual second five-eighth Luke McAlister in a fascinating selection.
McAlister's switch suggests players such as Ma'a Nonu and Casey Laulala have dropped from World Cup contention and that he is a genuine World Cup option in the position.
The other three centre options all have their foibles.
The inexperienced Isaia Toeava started both French tests there, mixing brilliance with sloppy handling, Smith's injury problems aren't going away and Mils Muliaina is a world-class fullback although he has proven himself in the No 13 jersey.
Muliaina will make his return from a hamstring injury against Canada and looks forward to seeing how McAlister adapts to centre, remembering he made a decent job of a stint there for the Blues in 2004.
"He'll be good at centre, he's an exciting player and definitely strong and fast enough to play there," Muliaina said.
"We had a laugh about it yesterday because he's not used to relaying the moves on to the outside backs."
There were only 3000 standing-only tickets available for Saturday's test as of this morning.
The world No 13-ranked Canadians may be massive outsiders but it has not stopped all stand seating being snapped up as sales near the 25,000 capacity.
- NZPA