KEY POINTS:
All Black lock Keith Robinson said he can hardly contain his excitement as he faces the prospect of playing his first rugby World Cup match after a three-week lay-off because of a calf injury.
The 30-year-old, who was part of New Zealand's victorious Tri-Nations side, injured his left calf during the team's pre-World Cup training camp in Corsica and missed their first three games.
However, after weeks of intensive treatment he has been given the all-clear to play in the team's final pool match against Romania in Toulouse.
"The team gets named tomorrow (Tonight NZ time)and hopefully I'll be part of that," Robinson told reporters at the team's base in Aix-en-Provence.
"I wouldn't say I'm nervous, more excited. Hopefully I'll get named tomorrow and I can play for the All Blacks and that'll be awesome."
An abrasive player with an intimidating physical presence on the pitch, Robinson's international career has been plagued by a succession of injuries.
Although he made his debut against England in 2002, he was sidelined from top-flight rugby for over two years because of a back injury between 2004 and 2006 and has made just 10 appearances for the All Blacks in five years.
The Waikato lock admitted he initially thought his latest injury might put him out of the World Cup.
"It was a little bit frustrating," he said. "You want to play for the All Blacks at the World Cup but you can't because you're injured.
"I had a day of that (thinking he might miss the tournament) especially when I slipped up a bit the second time, but the day after an injury you always think it is the end of the world."
Robinson said his recovery was aided by the fact that he was given not deadlines by the management.
He said he probably could have played the Scotland game, but it would have been risky.
- REUTERS
- NEWSTALK ZB
