Rugby: Flutey to start against Boks

Riki Flutey. Photo / RFU

Riki Flutey will crown a remarkable first season as a bona fide "Englishman" when he starts for the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park tomorrow night.

The New Zealand-born centre, a member of the New Zealand team that won the U19 World Cup in 1999 who also played for the New Zealand Maori, only qualified for England at the start of the 2008-09 season on residency grounds.

He went straight into Martin Johnson's England set-up and won eight caps, scoring 20 points, before being called up to the Lions squad.

Flutey has since become only the second player to play for and against the Lions in a tour match, having come off the bench for Wellington in their 23-6 loss to the 2005 Lions.

The first was Irishman Tom Reid, who was a Test player in South Africa in 1955 and then played against the Lions for Eastern Canada four years later.

The 29-year-old Flutey will also become the first Kiwi-born player for 101 years to feature in a Lions Test team, the last being the Taumutu-born Pat McEvedy in 1908.

"I've learned a hell of a lot of the last couple of months!" Flutey joked.

"And the last 12 months have been simply amazing and to start for the Lions, having already played against them, is a dream come true.

"Even before making my debut for England, I had written in my diary that I wanted to play for the Lions, I wanted to be part of this team. It is the highest honour."

Flutey, who has benefited from regular Test centre pairing Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Roberts both being ruled out injured, added: "It's up to me to show what I can do against the best team in the world.

"Jamie and Brian were playing outstandingly but that's water under the bridge now. We're here for one reason and that's to win the Test match for the Lions.

"I back my own ability and I've got an opportunity to start a Test.

"In 2005 I played against the Lions for Wellington and that was a fantastic occasion," said Flutey, who will enjoy four weeks of holidays in Wellington after the tour before reporting for duty at new French club Brive.

"The Lions are so well respected and it is huge in New Zealand," he said. "I remember as a kid my father had all the old Lions tapes and we used to sit around and watch hours of them."

Former Hurricane Flutey has played in England since 2005 where he started with London Irish, racking up 272 points and was first capped by England against the Pacific Islanders last November.

He then joined Wasps in 2007, where in his first season he saw them become Premiership champions, and was voted Players' Player of the Year a year later.

Although an age group representative in his native New Zealand, Flutey struggled to find a role at senior level and, such is the strength in depth of All Black rugby, never looked likely to play a Test for his homeland.

"The tour's been a bit frustrating," he added. "I've had some niggling injuries and I had some fluid on my knee but I've tried to be as professional as possible.

"Saturday give us the chance to produce a decent performance and end the tour on a high note."

- AFP