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Kelleher still dreaming of 2011

Wednesday 25th June 2008

Feeling 21 again: Byron Kelleher

Toulouse's former All Blacks scrum-half Byron Kelleher has revealed that he still harbours hopes of playing in the 2011 World Cup despite his plans to continue his career in France.

Kelleher will play in his second major final of the year on Saturday when Toulouse aim to erase the memory of the loss their European Cup Final loss to Munster in a dream showdown with Clermont at the Stade de France for the French domestic championship crown.

The 31-year-old has been one of the club's star performers since moving to the south-west of France after last year's World Cup.

"The season's gone well and I think it's about time to re-evaluate what I want to do," Kelleher told the AFP.

"I'm happy here in France, enjoying my rugby in France. I've started a new life and I feel like I'm 21 again. Here it's a dream come true. To come here and play the European Cup final, and now the final for Top 14, I'm pretty happy about that.

"I will be looking to extend my contract (which runs through to 2009). I've decided to play here in France, and I want to play right through to 2011," said the ebullient scrum-half."

Kelleher, who has 57 All Black caps, admitted that he still had his eye on participating in the next World Cup, on his home soil in New Zealand.

"I haven't given up hope of playing in the 2011 World Cup," he said, adding that current rules would have to be amended to allow All Black selectors to choose players plying their trade in overseas leagues."

Kelleher, who has taken to his new life in France like a fish to water and has to converse in French, pointed out that the season had been a tiring one.

"In New Zealand the seasons are short: the Tri-Nations, Super-14, NP, with two to three weeks in between," said the scrum-half.

"Here it's every week, you play and play and play... Mentally it's very hard. You play week-in week-out in a very long season, and then in a semi-final (last week against Stade Français) they throw 40-degree heat on you. That's something I'm not used too, I've never played in that heat before."

Kelleher said that his French experience reminded him of his days with the All Blacks.

"There is structure, but it's also about flair, and that's what the All Blacks have, that's why I'm happy about playing here," he said.

"But the intensity with the top teams have been incredible. I didn't think the intensity was here, but now that I have seen it, I can see why the All Blacks can be beaten in the World Cup - because there are such good players here."

Kelleher also said that his decision to move to France was about more than just lining his pockets with Euros.

"A lot of people think that All Blacks or overseas players come here for the money. Sure enough, there is a big difference because of the exchange rate," he said.

"But my challenge was to come here because I wanted to learn a new culture, a new language, and the only reason I wanted to come to France was because they actually play rugby, not like some northern hemisphere teams where they kick the ball a lot, there is a lot of structure, it's all about pattern.

"When you feel adopted by the people, it's important to make sure they see that you are here playing for the right reasons. I'm very excited, because I feel that in the short time I have been here, I feel really like a Toulouse person now, in my heart."