League: Johns glad to be back in the green and gold

SYDNEY - Less than a month after putting club before country, Kangaroos rugby league playmaker Andrew Johns today said he was honoured to be pulling on the green and gold again.

Johns will line up for Australia for the first time in two years when he runs on to Telstra Stadium for the Tri-Nations test against New Zealand here on Saturday.

The champion halfback admitted that he thought his days in the international arena were numbered after a slow start to the National Rugby League season and was relieved to once again be pulling on the Kangaroos jersey.

"It's something I never take for granted, playing for this jumper and I'm going to make the most of it going out there on Saturday night," Johns said today.

"It's been (two) years since I played for Australia and four years since I've played with players like Darren Lockyer."

Johns' loyalty to the green and gold was called into question after the Newcastle No 7 opted for a stint with English Super League club Warrington this year.

With the Super League grand final clashing with Australia's match against the Kiwis on Saturday, Johns said he would play in the English decider ahead of the test.

Ultimately he was not forced to choose, thanks to Warrington's semifinal loss to Hull.

Johns, who returned to Australia yesterday after a holiday in Europe, is expected to be named at halfback tomorrow to make his first appearance for the Kangaroos since playing New Zealand in Sydney in 2003.

The 18-Test veteran admitted there were times when he thought his international career was over, particularly after a substandard start to the 2005 season with the Knights as he continued to recover from a knee injury.

"I suppose at the start of the year, I think everyone saw how bad I was playing, the last thing on my mind was getting back and playing again for my country," Johns said.

"I was playing awful, and that's probably being nice. That's just the way we were going at the club level, I think we lost 13 straight at Newcastle, my confidence was down and so was the side's."

- AAP