'Yoda' a Super force to be reckoned with

Greg Somerville is also close to a milestone in test appearances. Marty Melville / Getty Images

It's been left up to teammates to sing the praises of centurion Crusaders prop Greg Somerville - with coach Robbie Deans even suggesting he could be Super rugby's first 200-game man.

Somerville will get halfway there tomorrow night against the Bulls.

He will become the sixth New Zealander and, tellingly, the fourth from the champion Crusaders franchise to bring up 100 Super 12/14 matches.

The landmark was played down in typical style by the 28-year-old yesterday but Deans said it was a testament to his fitness and work ethic that he would reach the century in just his eighth season.

"He's still a young man in terms of a front-rower," Deans said.

"He's intelligent, he looks after himself, conditioning-wise he's in great nick, he hasn't had too many injuries and he loves what he's doing.

"I don't see any reason why he can't go around again."

Another 100 games would be a herculean ask. He would need to appear in every game, as he has done this year, for nearly seven more seasons.

Deans said Somerville had few propping peers in terms of his athletic ability.

"There's so many less scrums in the game now. The thing that Greg brings to the game that's of real value is his ability around the track, his athleticism, his ability to support the carrier, his ability to defend.

"He's quite remarkable. You could stick him in the midfield and he wouldn't disgrace himself."

But hooker Corey Flynn, who has also packed down alongside Somerville at NPC and test level, said his nuggety teammate's raw power shouldn't be undervalued either.

"He's not the biggest prop but I'd say he's up there with the strongest. Don't let the little legs fool you, he's a very, very strong person," Flynn said.

Both Flynn and Deans said Somerville's successful conversion from a pure tighthead prop to someone who can cover both sides took considerable ability and a selfless nature. It has also helped extend his test career.

A regular starter under former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, the current national selectors have largely favoured Carl Hayman and Tony Woodcock as their first-choice props for the past two seasons.

However, Somerville has been the ideal backup with his ability on both sides and has played nine of his last 13 tests off the reserve bench.

The man nicknamed "Yoda" is on the verge of another milestone, having played 49 tests.

That was far from his mind this week as he prepared for the semifinal, also preferring to push his looming century into the background.

He told the Crusaders website: "The fact that you've played 100 games doesn't get you anywhere and this is a very important game ... We're playing for keeps now - there's no lives left."

Somerville recalled his debut against the Chiefs in 1999 as his most cherished moment in the Crusaders jersey while the victory over the Brumbies in the 2000 final the most memorable of the four Super 12 titles he has been part of.

- NZPA