All Blacks: Muliaina 'chuffed' with 2010

Mils Muliaina. Photo / Sarah Ivey

From the depths of despair to potentially the pinnacle of the International Rugby Board's awards night - Mils Muliaina's history-making All Black season has taken an upward trajectory since his last test against Wales.

New Zealand's long-serving fullback was thinking of a fallback position for the first time in his rugby career after an injury-ravaged Super 14 left him questioning his commitment to the game.

The emergence of Israel Dagg was another anxiety for Muliaina - particularly after the 22-year-old's accomplished debut in the season-opening test against Ireland in June and another standout performance in Dunedin a week later until he was concussed.

That head knock eventually provided Muliaina with a moment of clarity - a recall to the starting line-up and he has been a fixture ever since.

"It just seems like a long time ago," Muliaina said, when reflecting on what amounted to a comeback in Hamilton, the comfortable surrounds of home.

"Looking back at the analysis footage of that test this week ... I'm pretty chuffed about the way things have gone," he said on the eve of the Grand Slam-defining test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow morning at 6.15am NZT.

It will be his fifth start of the end-of-year tour and his 12th cap of a possible 14 in 2010, a workload he has handled comfortably considering he only made four appearances for the Chiefs.

He consciously made a belated entry to the Super 14, opting out of the first three rounds to recuperate from a busy 2009 but a month into the campaign he broke a thumb; a calf strain then added to his woes and sowed the first seeds of doubt.

With his third Grand Slam looming, it seems ridiculous that Muliaina was considering life after rugby five months ago, especially as he joined Richie McCaw in becoming the All Blacks' most capped player in Dublin last weekend when their 93rd caps carried them past legendary hooker and captain Sean Fitzpatrick.

Being nominated, alongside McCaw, as one of six candidates for the IRB's player of the year award is another indication of how quickly fortunes can change.

"It's good to see Mils nominated as well," McCaw said.

"He's a champion, he's playing well and I just enjoy having him in the team."

Even if Muliaina isn't crowned as the world's best player on December 1, he will have few regrets - and just one pause for thought heading into World Cup year.

In encouraging news for Chiefs supporters, it seems their captain will be available from the outset in the enlarged Super Rugby tournament.

"I haven't really got my head around the whole competition, how long it's going to be, but at this stage I don't think I'll be taking that same sort of period off as what I did last year in the earlier rounds.

"It didn't serve me as well as what I thought it might have. Next year will be a little bit different."

- NZPA