All Blacks: Quiet force more legend than myth

Prop Tony Woodcock is closing in on 100 caps. Photo / Getty Images

Former Wallaby prop Andrew Blades won't want to be reminded that he once described Tony Woodcock as a myth.

In an extreme misjudgement in 2008, Blades had a pop, suggesting Woodcock would be exposed as a poor scrummager as he "had been riding on the coat-tails of Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver".

Four years on and Woodcock is more legend than myth. The 31-year-old has been part of the All Black furniture since 2004 and it is no coincidence that New Zealand has undergone a scrummaging renaissance in the same period.

Various tightheads have come and gone, earning ample praise along the way, as have the likes of Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore.

But the only man who has been a consistent first choice in the past nine seasons is Woodcock. He has faced the best in the world and held his own against them all.

Unbelievably strong, technically excellent, focused, committed and surprisingly mobile, Woodcock is the perfect loosehead.

He even subscribes to the old school rule of props being rarely seen (because they should be in the thick of the battle) and rarely heard (outside backs and the like can build their profiles not front-rowers).

The problem for Woodcock, though, is that it is impossible these days not to acknowledge his contribution; he is nearing an incredible landmark of 100 caps and it's easy to want to know more about such a man.

How has he maintained such high standards? How much longer can he continue to dominate the world scene?

In assessing the All Black weaponry, the focus usually falls on the obvious - Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Cory Jane and Israel Dagg. But given the expected physical nature of the Rugby Championship and the changed rules that await in November, Woodcock is arguably the player many opponents fear most.

The bad news for Australia, South Africa and Argentina is that he is feeling about as good as he ever has. The extended break he took after the World Cup has wound back the clock; he was able to rest, sort out a million-and-one niggles and return to the fray in the best physical and mental shape of his career.

"That four weeks I had off served its purpose," says Woodcock. "I guess what's in the past is in the past," he says referring to the World Cup, "and we have to move on from that and look forward and be excited by what lies ahead.

"If the contest is even everywhere else around the track and you can get dominance at scrum time, then you get the flow-on effect for the rest of the game."

If Woodcock is excited, it's hard to tell; he gives little away, which is possibly the mantra that rules his rugby life. Opponents have no feel for what he's thinking - whether he's hurting or just getting warmed up. The facial expression never changes, his body language never differs and he'd probably be as deadly round the poker table as he is in the scrum.

The best guess is that he's been invigorated not only by his sabbatical but by the growing number of young props emerging with ambition to steal his jersey.

"I think it's pretty healthy that those guys are coming through," he says. "They are playing pretty well and it is certainly good to have that pressure to keep you on edge."

- Herald on Sunday