Jack's road of toil

IAIN MCGREGOR/The Press

HARD YAKKA: Former All Blacks lock Chris Jack grimaces during a session with Crusaders strength and conditioning coach Ashley Jones.

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Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said lock Chris Jack returned home with definite All Black aspirations, but the man himself reckons just getting a game for his "new-old" team might be the biggest challenge.

The 31-year-old joined English club Saracens after the 2007 World Cup and most recently appeared in the colours of South African team Western Province. Now back training with the Crusaders, Jack is uncertain about what the immediate future holds.

"There's lots of questions and lots of things you worry about, [but] at the same time the coaches obviously see something in me that they want," Jack said yesterday. "I've obviously got a lot of experience and it might not necessarily mean I play a big role on the field, but off the field I could be good for the team.

"There's two All Black locks [Brad Thorn and Isaac Ross] there at the moment and young Sam Whitelock emerging, so I'd be pretty arrogant if I thought I'd be going straight back into a starting spot. I realise that I've come to one of the hardest franchises in which to get a starting spot and I hope I get a chance, and when I get that chance I'm going to give it my best shot.

"All I can do is play the best rugby I can and if that's good enough, that's good enough. My role will be determined as we go on and whether I'll be more of a mentor to Sam and Isaac or I'll be out there playing, I'm not sure."

He takes comfort in the fact that former team-mates Thorn and Leon MacDonald have been able to resume their All Black careers after stints overseas.

"Absolutely. Let's be honest, Brad's an inspiration to anyone over 30. He's now my hero and I'm hoping I can now get another five years out of my career," Jack said, joking. "No, but the man is amazing. It's great to see that this franchise is looking after guys of age and they want to carry on playing here because they feel looked after and feel like there's space for them."

Jack might be determined to talk himself down, but you do not play 67 tests without having a competitive nature. Surely he harbours a strong desire to return to the international fold?

"... I loved being an All Black and would love to be one again but as far as saying out and out `I'm going to be an All Black', I can't say that."

But Jack did concede that the 2011 World Cup represents an opportunity to tidy up some unfinished business. I played two [2003 and 2007] and I'm still not getting over the first, let alone the second.

"As a player you go there expecting to win and not to do that is extremely disappointing.

"It's on the world stage and everyone sees your disappointment and it's something you can't live down and, no matter how hard you try, you can't change it.

"... I just didn't want to finish my career thinking I didn't have another chance and part of the decision [to come home] was that I couldn't give myself a chance while I was playing in Europe."

- © Fairfax NZ News