New Rebel faces a 'heck of a challenge'
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:17
Veteran New Zealand prop Greg Somerville admitted that joining the newly former Melbourne Rebels will present him with a new set of challenges, but he doesn't for one minute regret giving up on his All Black dream.
Somerville, who will remain the most capped All Blacks prop until Tony Woodcock equals his 66-Test record against the Wallabies in Melbourne on Saturday, admitted he did consider joining a New Zealand franchise in the hope of extending his international career.
When he decided to move back from England, Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder tried to persuade him to bolster that side's already All Blacks-laden propping stocks.
"It was really heart-wrenching not to go back there," Somerville told NZPA.
"They were really positive about me being part of it again," he added.
"But I wanted to challenge myself in a new way and not try and find what I had before."
The 32-year-old resisted Super Rugby's most successful franchise for the work-in-progress Rebels.
He started his promotional duties on Thursday and relocates permanently before pre-season training starts on October 1.
"It's going to be a heck of a challenge bringing the team together, bonding and then get everyone playing at a level you'll need to be competitive."
Might it not have been more enticing to make a third and final tilt at the World Cup considering the disappointments of 2003 and 2007?
"There were a few long nights thinking about it but to hinge everything on that after being to two, putting everything into them and it not working out ... I didn't want to hang my hat on the whole thing," he said.
Somerville's Test career started in 2000 and ended on a winning note in Hong Kong in 2008 when the Bledisloe Cup had already been retained, the Tri-Nations won and in May that year the Crusaders farewelled him and coach Robbie Deans with another Super 14 title.
"I felt I managed to leave it on a really good note. Going back might have been taking a step back," he told NZPA.
Also there was also no guarantee of a starting role for the 32-year-old at the Crusaders, never mind an All Blacks recall, given the presence of the Franks brothers and Wyatt Crockett.
Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Advertising
