The All Blacks’ team sheet has hardly contained encouraging news for Keven Mealamu throughout this test rugby season – until the lineup to face Scotland was read out on Monday.
It was no surprise Mealamu had been chosen in the starting 15 for the first time in what will be New Zealand’s 12th test of the year – Andrew Hore’s high ankle sprain four minutes into the Bledisloe Cup finale in Hong Kong facilitated that promotion.
But the captaincy was an added bonus for the 61-test veteran.
Mealamu becomes the All Blacks’ 63rd captain when he takes the team onto Murrayfield on Saturday (Sunday 6.15pm NZT) – and the latest in a recent sequence of leaders with Pacific Island heritage.
The Auckland hooker follows the trend started by Tana Umaga, and continued by Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo – the previous stand-ins for Richie McCaw.
`There was no big deal made of it, but I was a bit nervous, I was shaking,” said Mealamu, who promptly conveyed the good news to his wife.
“I never thought I’d captain an All Blacks side. It’s a huge honour.”
His appointment marks a radical turn around for the 29-year-old, who has had to play second fiddle for the No 1 test jumper this season.
Hore’s form for the Hurricanes enabled him to leapfrog the more experienced Mealamu when the programme started in June and despite these days of player rotation, the Taranaki rake started all 11 internationals before his misfortune against the Wallabies.
Mealamu, who also experienced a disappointing Super 14 campaign with the Blues, took the demotion with typical good grace, safe in the knowledge he retained an important role as a senior player.
“I’ve been coming off the bench but you still have a job to do and it gets tough in those last 15-20 minutes — that’s often where the game is won or lost.”
Mealamu felt he didn’t have to modify his approach now he carries the added responsibility — a role he had with the Blues this season.
“The key thing is to stay the same and keep doing what I do,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve been named captain, I’ve just got to make sure everyone is prepared to play well.”
With only the low-intensity captain’s run to complete tomorrow, Mealamu was satisfied a new-look side had made all the right moves in training.
“We’ve trained well and one of the good things is senior players that aren’t playing are still stepping up and helping out.”
Uncapped Waikato loose forward Liam Messam spoke of the insights gleaned from So’oialo while McCaw has been another source of advice.
McCaw and Daniel Carter are on the bench in case Scotland prove more than nuisance value.
Mealamu will be guiding three new caps and a team featuring 12 changes from the final Bledisloe Cup clash, but embraced the assignment.
“They bring a lot of enthusiasm — and a bit of cheekiness as well,” he said.
And a sense of ownership in their own right.
Messam, blindside flanker Kieran Read and prop Jamie Mackintosh are all provincial captains, and although new to the environment they have a licence to express their opinions.
“When you’ve been picked in an All Black side, everyone’s got to contribute the best they can,” explained Read, who lead Canterbury to the domestic rugby crown last month.
“If it requires one of us to say something or communicate to the other guys, you have to do it — as an All Black that’s your role.”
Meanwhile, captaincy is not the only first Mealamu will experience during the All Blacks Grand Slam opener.
Despite collecting more than 60 caps, Mealamu has never played against Scotland.
As a spectator in 2005 and last year he was well aware of the physicality and determination the Scots will bring to a contest they are yet to win.
“As a rugby player coming here, you never think it’s going to be easy. They’re a proud team to play against, especially at home.”
