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Riki Flutey: Back at Wasps and ready to go
Riki Flutey believes England will give the All Blacks a good run for their money when the Tri-Nations champs head north in November.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Flutey admitted the All Blacks looked outstanding in their recent triumph, but also said that now England had conquered Australia down under, they were a force to be reckoned with once again.
The former Hurricanes centre said that England were now going to the World Cup as serious contenders as long as they can sustain June's intensity.
"The All Blacks are playing amazing rugby at the moment but it is an exciting time for England as well," said Flutey, who is itching to get back into action after a miserable season sidelined by injury in Brive.
"Our win in Australia was a massive achievement and a huge step for us in the right direction. Australia are one of the best teams in the world as well and to get a win there will have given the boys a lot of confidence.
"During our recent training camp, everyone was pushing to make the squad for the November Tests, which will be a massive series. I believe we can do the job."
Flutey in particular is pushing for it, after losing all but five games of last season and leaving Brive somewhat acrimoniously.
"I am back into contact and doing power work on my shoulder," Flutey added.
"The strength is back where it was when I was 100 per cent.
"Going to France and turning up at my new club injured wasn't the best scenario for me or the club. When it got to the point when I needed surgery, from a family point of view it was just too unsettling.
"We were in Brive for three weeks and back in London for six getting rehab. My wife and two children were coming and going and it wasn't sustainable.
"My family and I are happy that we are back in London now and it is great to have re-signed for Wasps. It is a club I know everything about, I enjoyed my time there.
"The grass isn't always greener."
Comments
rugbylover says...
Howser
Your assumption is inaccurate.
Simply, I am a rugby lover ' the game ' the manner of execution & result are correlated. Whatever some risible claims by wounded "outrageous"; kiwi supporters (death threats indeed) the ABs have not performed to their potential at almost every world cup.
However, the NZers are their own fiercest critics ' without slighting 'observations' on their failures from carping, jealous people like you. I refer you to my remarks to Nicholas41.
As I observed some time back, the kiwis just need to have France banned from the competition.
Revenons żos moutons.
C'mon Oz [and NO, I'm not an ocker; but I certainly applaud what they're trying to do ' for whatever competition-from-other-codes reasons. It has always been the aussie way. How could ANYONE be proud of the way England approach ;I do not say 'play'; the game. Successful? Perhaps. Entertaining? Enjoyable? Exciting?
Cavaliers & roundheads' but we all know what happened.......
Sigh.
With 'helpful' people like you it just won't change. Do you actually like the 'stick it up-your-jumper-and HEAVE ' 'Swyyyngg low sweeeet charrrrriooottt.....';refrain 1000 times; approach?
Posted 17:18 25th August 2010
Howser says...
Rugbylover, my point is the All Blacks choke at every world cup unless it is in their back yard and then blame everyone else bar yourselves for the outcome.
We all know the strength you posses as a rugby playing nation. Just a shame you don't perform at the biggest tournament of all.
Posted 16:06 25th August 2010
rugbylover says...
yes Nicholas41, & don't YOU love it when anybody beats the NZers [becasuse YOUR team [enter ANY name here] does it soooo seldom (if at all).
Year in, year out, those pesky men in black SET the standard - the stats are heart breaking for any non AB supporter - LIKE YOU.
One final observation; this quadrennial tournament produces a winner - of the tournament (RWC), NOT world champion for the following 4 years [even in boxing - ONE defeat dethrones the champion - ask Ali, but the saffas [bless 'em] are still referred to (by people like you) as WORLD CHAMPIONS after how many defeats?.
If you were a betting man with a modicum of knowledge about the game - you might consider the bookies.............. don't worry about your kiwi friends "mates " as you call them" [I am sure they really value you] in my experience the NZers are ever reticent - yes the fear of losing [not performing up to well justified expectations is enormous - unlike Ginny Wade
Let's just see if Oz can turnover the saffas here next Sat - don't think so - bombs & bash will prevail - mj will follow - if you're at all interested in rugby [tho clearly you don't understand it] which team would you like to watch........?
Posted 15:40 25th August 2010
rugbylover says...
Howser
................and your point is...........?
Posted 15:14 25th August 2010
Howser says...
World cup final 2003 - Aus v Eng
World cup final 2007 - Sa v Eng.
The most consistent team when it counts, ( at world cups ) over the last ten years.
All blacks always choke, Aus beaten at both world cups by the mother country, Sa were good last time but lets see next year.
Maybe you guys should get down from your ivory towers and look at the facts !
Posted 13:39 25th August 2010
Clayton26 says...
@ richd. Ok yeah the bangladeshi comment was far fetched, but overall flutey is talking thru a hole in his hat. As already said, England has to stay positive I guess. Can't have mj, or any other serious coach fronting up and saying "we've got no chance what so ever"
Still a one point win over another average team is hardy a watershed moment. Back up words with actions in November and I gladly tip my hat to the NH
Posted 11:58 25th August 2010
5Lock4ward says...
Muzza 15 you just proved my point. We all know Flutey played in the 3rd Lions test. Which shows that a transplanted Kiwi who couldn't make the AB's not only starts for England but made the Lions on top of that! It shows the weakness of the NH compared to the SH. I was and always will cheer for the Lions but if PDV had started his best XV instead of resting them for the 3N then they would have swept the Lions. @Pogmahon, your loyalty to the NH is commendable but you're blind if you you think you have any argument against my point on SH rejects weakening NH rugby. And I'll get over it when NH players start taking up spots on SH rugby teams.
Posted 11:57 25th August 2010
muzza15 says...
who played against South Africa, 3rd test back for the Lions, who played number 12 that day , cant remember but he played well, who won ,cant remember but he played very well and the Lions won, great game
Posted 09:39 25th August 2010
pogmahon says...
muzza15.. Like the fact that you know your facts, many others don't. Not many people outside Ireland know that Brian O'Driscoll couldn't get on his schools senior cup side where he played scrum half but when he switched to centre...well the rest is history. In fact his old school Blackrock College compiled a best 15 recently and Brendan Mullan beat BOD to the no13 shirt. Only in Ireland! Anyway Englands problem isn't with Flutey its with the management, the overall lack of strength in depth as a result of the poor quality of play in the PL and some very poor selections. That being said they have a very easy draw on paper so who knows?
Posted 09:10 25th August 2010
pogmahon says...
5Lock4ward, and as I've pointed out to you on numerous occasions your point in limited in the extreme making you very wide of the mark. Move on and get over it.
Posted 09:04 25th August 2010
rangdaddy says...
Flutey is an absolute muppet - he pledges his loyalty with England and thinks this justifies his ability as a quality test player - he's a bad player who couldn't make the AB's 5th team. He needs to talk himself up as he knows he will get smashed by fellow kiwi's who know he is a turncoat idiot! England would be better served developing and using local players instead of adopting transplanted kiwis who have not made it in NZ?
Posted 06:25 25th August 2010
muzza15 says...
Sorry but again reading ABenzed, you should know your facts before stating incorrect info, Flutey only played one game for Hawkes Bay as a 17 year school boy at half back, before coming to Wellington.He did play one game at fullback for the Hurricanes at Fullback in the Super 14 in South Africa, Cullen was injuried, and was named MVP that day.Other wise he played 9 or 10 only.
Posted 05:22 25th August 2010
muzza15 says...
Regarding the last comment, Riki Flutey never played 12 or 13 in New Zealand, he was NZ Schools 9, NZ Under 19 , 9 NZ Colts 9 and 10, and played 9 and 10 for Hurricanes and Wellington Lions, many feel he would have played for the All Blacks at 9 if he had stayed in that position, he played for the Maori All Blacks as well. so only when he moved to UK he started playing 12. Muzza
Posted 23:55 24th August 2010
craig77 says...
Hilarious - he's dreaming....Him and PDV must be smoking the same stuff....crazy words coming out of his mouth!
Posted 23:39 24th August 2010
nic22bro says...
What a bold statement, without actually saying they can beat the ABs. Giving them a run for their money is a joke isn't it?? Sure they beat the Aussies (i'm a kiwi by the way) but even i could say that was one of the Wallabies worst performances this season, so for Flutey to turn around and think they're there abouts on one performance is comical!! I saw nothing of England to suggest they will be in the mix. Its easy to say they will win but that has always been a fault of NH teams is they talk it up but never back it up! Out of the NH teams i thought only the welsh showed some promise against SH teams. No disrespect intended but England couldn't even beat our Maori side how are they suppose to push the ABs to the limit? It'll be mainly a 3 horse race at the WC unless 1 of the SH teams can improve 30% and maintain that intensity for 80 minutes and the entire WC. I don't doubt they can pull of upset games such as France 07, 99 but they were 1 off games and they didn't push through and take out the comp. In my opinion the ABs are out in front with SA and the Wallabies close behind. As SA found out on Saturday its an 80 min game,and i just believe England may play well in patches but they'll present the AB's with to many opportunities, in which the ABs will take and execute.
Posted 22:25 24th August 2010
KiwiKev says...
Riki who? His greatest moment came when he was arrested in Argentina...Totally overrated...
Posted 22:02 24th August 2010
Nicholas41 says...
Love it when these conversations get fruity - just like they did four years ago. I have a few Kiwi mates and, guess what? They are saying nothing - not a jot. Been burnt too many times.
Posted 21:02 24th August 2010
BoDiddly says...
I'm sure PlanetRugby put some of these things up for a laugh. This one certainly tickled me.
Posted 18:15 24th August 2010
5Lock4ward says...
Pogmahon, you and I have been over this ad nauseum, you know exactly what I'm referring to in terms of the SH rejects taking up the space of Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotsman and Welshmen at the club level which in turn limits the pool that the national selectors of said nations has to choose from; which in turn weakens the national teams. So for the umpteenth time I am not wide of the mark. When NH sides start beating SH on a consistent basis or when NH players start taking up spots on SH teams then I'll stop bringing it up.
Posted 17:18 24th August 2010
richd says...
Clayton, however bad England have been (and they have been pretty average) you cant compare them to Bangladesh as I dont think they are minnows on the rugby stage. As far as I`m aware Australia are a Tri nations team who England beat last time they played (however bad they were) so they would at least stand a chance!!. This is just the usual SH retoric. Keep trying...
Posted 15:53 24th August 2010