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Kennedy to stake his claim

Thursday 27th November 2008

'Over the moon': Nick Kennedy

Nick Kennedy is determined to put in a performance which England team manager Martin Johnson cannot ignore against New Zealand in the final autumn Test at Twickenham on Saturday.

The England second row forward scored a try on an impressive debut against the Pacific Islanders earlier this month but did not even make the 22 for the matches against Australia and South Africa.

An injury to Tom Palmer, however, means the London Irish lock earns a recall against the All Blacks.

"When they put up the sheet and announced the team I was just over the moon. New Zealand are the best team in the world. I've been watching them for years," said Kennedy.

"Now I've got the chance to play against them and face that Haka dead on and that's what I'm really excited about."

Kennedy expected the second rows in the squad would be rotated during the course of the autumn series, but being dropped was still a sobering experience.

"I was told it was nothing negative I'd done in the game against the Pacific Islanders and that helped me," said 27-year-old Kennedy.

"I kept my head up and trained really well. I was gutted not to have the opportunity to play against Australia and South Africa but I was never going to get in a mood about it and drag my feet, that's not the sort of character I am. I was always going to come back fighting."

It is the attitude England require on Saturday when they face the All Blacks a week after losing 42-6 to South Africa, the worst defeat at Twickenham by an England side

Kennedy, together with second row partner Steve Borthwick, will be vital in trying to win the quick ball which has eluded England so far when they come up against star All Blacks locks Ali Williams and Brad Thorn.

"I take that responsibility seriously and hopefully I can deliver that," said Kennedy.

"Their scrum is very strong and Ali Williams is one of the best line-out forwards in the world. They're a very exciting team to watch.

"We have a massive challenge ahead of us. To have ended the autumn series against South Africa with that defeat and have no rugby until the Six Nations would have been awful, so to have this game to right some wrongs is a big positive."