NZ pair vow to return

Kiwi duo aim to win back places in national squad

By Lizzie Rose    Last updated: 20th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

NZ pair vow to return

Rokocoko: Vowing to bounce back

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Rejected New Zealand wingers Joe Rokocoko and Hosea Gear have vowed to get back into the All Blacks line-up after being dropped for the end-of-season tour.

The pair were notably absent from coach Graham Henry's squad after being replaced by newcomers Zac Guildford and Ben Smith.

Henry named the 33 players for the tour of Japan and Europe on Sunday, and Rokocoko admitted his omission didn't come as too much of a surprise.

"You have that gut feeling when you aren't safe. I have experienced it before. I wasn't confident the whole time and it didn't surprise me when the phone call came," said the 60-Test veteran.

"It's pretty hard to take in. When you are involved with the team for seven years - the longer you have been in the team the more it hurts."

Rokocoko will now focus his attention on finishing the season strongly with Auckland and preparing for the next Super 14 campaign, hoping good form for the Blues will help him revive his international career.

Striving

"The black jersey is what's making me stay in New Zealand and I'm striving for it. I'm going to set new goals again and re-start really," he said.

"The Super 14 is the foundation to set yourself for the year. I want to concentrate on having a good pre-season training, get myself excited again and everything else will snowball from that."

Like Rokocoko, Gear was also less than shocked when he heard he had been omitted from the New Zealand squad for the tour, which begins against Australia in Tokyo on October 31.

The 25-year-old said he wasn't expecting his name to be called out, but insisted he will remain committed to New Zealand rugby.

"The World Cup is my goal," he said. "All going well that's my target at the moment.

"All I can do is play to my best every week, week in week out, and be really consistent."