Hooker learns art of patience

When All Blacks rake Corey Flynn injured his ankle in a pre-season match in Motueka last month he feared the worst – again.

Having heard a crunch and feeling immediate pain in his lower leg during the Crusaders' final "friendly" match against the Blues on February 4, Flynn thought his Super 14 was over before it started.

"When I first did it, I thought I had broken my leg," he admitted.

"I felt it pop, the pain came in pretty quickly and I thought the worst. But when we got to the hotel the pain had settled down, it was not so sore and that was pleasing obviously."

Revelations he had just sprained his ankle must have unleashed a tsunami-like wave of relief within the hooker, who has hardly had the most charmed run with injuries during his career; he has metal rods in both arms after numerous breaks and last year made just two appearances for the Crusaders before his left arm was broken in Canberra.

Several months beforehand he was invalided out of the All Blacks' northern hemisphere tour because of a broken arm and previous campaigns have also been punctuated by injury.

At least there was one positive out of it all, he said: "I have learned a lot about patience. I'm a lot more patient than what I was in my younger years, for sure."

With Flynn rehabbing his injury, Ti'i Paulo started the opening three matches backed-up by Quentin MacDonald, who has since been ruled out of the Super 14 with a knee injury.

Flynn has totalled 57 minutes as a substitute in the last two matches against the Chiefs and Blues and with the team to face the winless Lions at AMI Stadium not named until tomorrow he is uncertain if he will wrench the No2 jersey off Paulo.

Coach Todd Blackadder will make changes against the Lions, although he has been coy about just how many. Veteran lock Brad Thorn will be rested to recover from a sternum injury and halfback Kahn Fotuali'i will again start in place of the concussed Andy Ellis.

Ben Franks could start ahead of loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett and if No8 Thomas Waldrom returns it would allow Kieran Read to switch to blindside flanker and Richie McCaw to wear the No7 jersey for the first time this season.

Dan Carter may stay at first five-eighth but Colin Slade could get plenty of time off the bench and Adam Whitelock could get a run at centre.

One area the Crusaders will be eager to exploit, even without the powerful tighthead lock Thorn, is the Lions scrum, after impressive efforts against the Chiefs, Blues and Sharks in recent weeks.

"It has been good to see the young fellows come through and really take it to the likes of the Sharks, who have a Springbok front row and were pretty much dealt to," Flynn said.

The Lions, who have decided to remain in Australia after being humiliated 73-12 by the Waratahs in Sydney last weekend, arrive in Christchurch tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News