KEY POINTS:
Lock Keith Robinson will restart his All Black career where it all began four years ago, at Twickenham.
He made that trip after coach John Mitchell decided to leave 21 players at home for rest and rehabilitation before the last World Cup. Chris Jack, Simon Maling, Norm Maxwell and versatile captain Reuben Thorne were removed from the locking choices.
On debut against England, Robinson impressed in the narrow 31-28 defeat where his locking partner Ali Williams also started his test career. Another rookie lock, Bradley Mika, played his only three tests on that same trip.
Robinson, like Mika, missed the 2003 World Cup but Williams made it and has accumulated 37 caps.
When Graham Henry was appointed All Blacks coach in 2004, he arrived with strong views about shoring up the pack. Robinson's frame stayed intact and he was a force against England in two opening tests that season. He was powerful at set piece, had a huge workrate and stood up to the England intimidation.
But just as quickly he was gone, disc trouble in his back flaring up again after one more test against the Pacific Islanders.
Robinson's reappearance for Waikato in this year's Air New Zealand Cup after a 2 1/2 year injury hiatus was manna for his province. All his old skills were evident and a five-game stretch was enough evidence for the All Black selectors.
On Monday, Robinson will play his seventh test and fourth against England.
It is difficult to comprehend the surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation he endured during his layoff but it reinforced the mental grit of the 29-year-old. Even he found it tough to explain all the torment when interviewed after his recall for the tour.
The lock will have his workload managed on this trip and the coaching staff have spoken in some detail with Robinson and Waikato officials about how best to keep him in top condition.
Robinson's return as a pure hard-grafting competitor has suddenly upped the pressure on the other locks in the All Blacks squad.
