Ruben Wiki: Stacey's arrival is payback

Everyone is buzzing about having Stacey Jones back in the side for today's game against Great Britain.

I would have loved to have seen Great Britain coach Brian Noble's face when he found out that a certain S. Jones was pencilled in to play at halfback.

It was quite exciting all week to know he was coming into camp but it was hard trying to keep it under wraps. In all of our media interviews we have been talking about how Motu Tony would do a great job, which he would have, and that Brent Webb would be able to cope with the goalkicking duties.

Stacey joined us on Thursday and we planned on hiding him from view for training on the Friday but in the end our secret got out.

In many ways, it was payback for the way we've been treated by other countries over the years.

The latest was the debacle over our booking arrangements, when we were scheduled to fly back to New Zealand when it was assumed we wouldn't make the final.

We knew about it before we left New Zealand and felt pretty insulted but chose not to do anything because it could have blown up in our faces if we didn't make it to the final.

We laugh about it now but there was no point in us getting angry - the only thing we could do was to do our talking on the field.

But we had to do it in a controlled way because, as players, when you get angry it affects the way you perform.

Stacey is the ace we have been carrying up our sleeve all week and it just makes sense after Lance Hohaia was ruled out with an ankle injury. Some people might have put two and two together after we didn't call up anyone into the squad after Lance flew home.

Stacey's one of the best halfbacks in the world and he's keen to play - we've encouraged him to keep going throughout the Tri-Nations but it's always been up to him to make the decision - so he's obviously enjoying it.

We're still not sure whether he will be available for the final as his family needs come first. We would certainly love him to run out with us but it's up to him and how things go with the birth of his third child later this month.

I was raring to go this morning having missed last week's game against England when a few of the other guys got a run.

I managed to get pretty close to the action as a water boy for the team, running on with instructions from Natty Norton and Bluey McClennan for the boys.

I asked the coach if I could be a part of it because I hate watching from the stands. It's actually the second time I've done it, the first in 2002 when I was out with a thumb injury, and I came away with no voice after so much shouting. I was tempted to take a hit-up but that had to wait until this morning.