All Blacks: Plenty of motivation for Weepu

All Black halfback Piri Weepu at training. Photo / Sarah Ivey

All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu will have two reasons to bound out of the tunnel with an extra spring ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby test against South Africa.

For a start, he knows he won't be slipping on the tracksuit and cutting a familiar path the sideline pine after signing off on the haka.

Secondly, a little motherly inspiration will be fresh in the mind.

Weepu's mum Kura is well known for her charity work in Wainuiomata and beyond, including a role on match days at Westpac Stadium.

She will be in the tunnel when both teams enter the field of play.

"As I'm running out I give her a little wink and a wave when I run past her," Weepu said, adding there was another pre-match tradition mother and son like to play out earlier in the day.

"She doesn't give me advice. I always give her a hug and give her a kiss and she always wishes me luck."

Weepu reckons most of Wainuiomata will be on hand to watch the 26-year-old make his first test start in 20 months, although the lights won't all be out in the famous sporting suburb.

"It would be good to have my grandmother come along but it's a bit cold for her these days. She sits in front of the heater and watches it at home on the tele."

Weepu has been tagged as an impact player by coach Graham Henry. His last 13 tests have been off the bench behind Jimmy Cowan or Brendon Leonard since he started against Scotland in Edinburgh on the 2008 season-ending tour.

Most of his 13 starts in 39 tests came in 2005 and 2006. The 26 bench appearances is one short of the All Blacks record of 27 held by hooker Keven Mealamu - who is also relishing a starting role on Saturday.

Weepu admitted to frustration at the long string of second-half cameos but didn't want to make a big deal of it.

"You've got to bite the bullet and get on with the job," he told NZPA.

"It's an opportunity to be here and it's how you make the opportunity work. You can't come into the team and moan about being on the bench, you've got to do something about it.

"Any person that plays nine in New Zealand wants to be in this team in this position. I'm honoured to be here and I've got to take my chances."

Weepu said Cowan's demotion, the only unforced change from the starting team who thrashed the Springboks 32-12 in Auckland, would sting the feisty Southlander.

"I better make sure I do a job otherwise I'll be out of a job," Weepu said.

"He (Cowan) set the benchmark and I better hope I can stay at those standards. I'm pretty sure if I'm not playing at those standards he'll let me know."

- NZPA