All Blacks: Joe's payback time

Joe Rokocoko admits being 'stressed out' over his form, but believes he is ready to fire against the Springboks tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

Out-of-sorts All Black wing Joe Rokocoko has been gifted a start tomorrow against the Springboks.

It is anathema to the All Black ethos, but the "best for every test" mantra has been eroded in these days of too much test rugby, players' trade unions, commercial deals and rotation for pampered participants.

Rokocoko's fortune in replacing Cory Jane is the same theory being used for Brendon Leonard's promotion ahead of Jimmy Cowan, who was a star turn at halfback in the Bledisloe Cup victory at Eden Park. There is not a whole lot between the candidates.

But clearly the selectors must think there is a significant gap between the qualities of tighthead prop Neemia Tialata and the challenges from John Afoa and Owen Franks, otherwise Tialata would have been benched for the Bloemfontein start to the All Blacks campaign in South Africa.

The All Blacks could have sent some players early to South Africa to acclimatise and prepare for this test, as they did in 2006 when they argued it was too tough to play in Auckland one week and Buenos Aires the next.

Instead they have made a longer journey and decided on just two alterations, which will test coach Graham Henry's selection and debating powers when he comes to picking his team and explaining his choices for Part II of this congested assignment in Durban next weekend.

Henry has gambled on his instincts and belief that Rokocoko will reignite his test career on the tinder dry test arena on the edge of the high veldt.

It is some hunch and a real punt from Henry, because Rokocoko's form does not warrant selection as he has continued with the faltering work he showed during the Super 14.

If the intuition proves to be a mirage, Henry will risk being accused of double standards.

He used young loose forward Liam Messam in one test, then sent him back to the NPC to iron out some faults and find more consistency in his play. Henry has not used that same logic with Rokocoko, though he will argue the wing has a background of 55 tests they want to rekindle.

It is a risk. Asking someone to rediscover his mojo against opponents like Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen is huge, especially after the flat season and doubt which have infested Rokocoko's game.

Rokocoko's inclusion has shunted Jane back to the bench while Leonard, who did show sharp form in the Super series before being claimed by a hamstring injury, has been given his chance this weekend.

Henry said his gut feeling suggested Rokocoko was ready to reignite his career, while the 26-year-old wing felt it would do wonders for him, swapping the wet winter nights in New Zealand for the hard fields in daytime in South Africa. He also thought he had figured out the reasons behind his rollercoaster form this season.

"I guess I have been too stressed out and worrying about my performance too much and expectations have got ahead of myself," he said.

"I have just taken away that load and concentrated on my daily training, not the weekend. I have been conscious of getting my confidence up and making sure I am fresh for the weekend."

Henry picked Rokocoko for the twin tests against France, then Italy, when he finally broke a try-scoring drought stretching back to his hat-trick against Romania at the last World Cup.

"He was a superstar," Henry lamented last month. "He's had a couple of injuries and he hasn't come back to it yet. We're just hoping he finds the SS again."

Rokocoko has been hoping to absorb some of the skills and confidence from mixing with Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu this week. He wants to be clear about his duties, sure of his decisions and decisive when he gets his chance.

A wrist injury last season stifled Rokocoko's form and while he has spluttered through this season, serious injuries to Sivivatu then Richard Kahui, Rudi Wulf and Isaia Toeava have allowed him to keep his place in the national squad.

The All Blacks' senior wing shares the world record with Christian Cullen for scoring five tries against the Springboks in South Africa, but until Henry's selection generosity it did not look as though Rokocoko would get a chance to increase that mark in Bloemfontein.

Tomorrow is time for a performance payback.

THE FLYERS

Most tries scored away from home

27: Doug Howlett (NZ), David Campese (Australia)
26: Joe Rokocoko (NZ), Daisuke Ohata (Japan)
25: Jonah Lomu (NZ)
24: Gareth Thomas (Wales/Lions), Shane Williams (Wales)
23: Rory Underwood (England), Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Top tryscorers against leading nations

v South Africa: 10 - Christian Cullen (NZ). 9 - Joe Rokocoko (NZ)
v England: 9 - Ian Smith (Scotland). 8 - Jonah Lomu (NZ)
v Argentina: 9 - David Campese (Australia). 8 - John Kirwan (NZ)
v Japan: 9 - Shane Williams (Wales). 8 - Gareth Thomas (Wales)
v Australia: 8 - Cullen, Howlett (NZ), Ian Kirkpatrick (NZ)