Ruben Wiki: It's nice to Rome on tour

Although this is my sixth tour to the UK, something different happened this week - I took a holiday.

Bluey McClennan and the rest of the coaching staff told a number of the senior guys to take a break for a few days to freshen up because we weren't going to be involved in the England game. In the past I might have chilled out in the hotel or had a wander around town but this time I decided to make the most of it.

After a couple of phone calls I was soon on a plane with Nigel Vagana, David Kidwell, Roy Asotasi, Clinton Toopi and Awen Guttenbeil to Italy. We spent a day in Rome doing the touristy things, like checking out the Colosseum, before heading to Sardinia where we stayed with a cousin of mine.

Although as rugby league players we're often travelling, we never really get to enjoy the places we go to and it was a real eye opener for me and has given me an appetite to travel with my wife and kids. I'd love to take them back to Sardinia.

A load of Italians thought we were All Blacks and got really excited about seeing us so we decided to play along with it. We also spent time on the beach - working on the tan, of course - and, even though I don't normally drink, had a few vinos (that's Italian for wine).

It was weird to be given time off during a tour but the coach knows best and everything he's done so far has worked, so who am I to argue?

We welcomed four new players into the squad this week - Robbie Paul, Henry Fa'afili, Joe Vagana and Willie Poching - and I was thrilled to see Willie. We first played together in the Junior Kiwis in 1992 when we were both 19 but tonight will be the first time he pulls on the black-and-white jersey.

He's jumping out of his skin to play and that sort of enthusiasm has given the rest of us a really good lift as the Tri-Nations gets down to the business end.

We're all focusing on what we have to do but we will have had one eye on what happened in the Australia-Great Britain test this morning. It might sound strange but we honestly didn't care who won - all I really hoped was that they went hammer and tongs at each other and will be feeling a bit sore next week.

I guess deep down I wouldn't mind coming up against the Aussies in the final because it will be even sweeter when we lift the title.

I had a really great moment after last week's 42-26 win over Great Britain when the guys did a haka for me as I walked up the tunnel after my 47th test match. It was a pretty awesome moment and I was quite emotional but now it's back to business.

Great Britain will only get stronger as they play more games so we can't take anything for granted next weekend.

Ciao from Manchester.