Flutey's Back, Fit and Ready to Put English Wrongs Right.

He may only have played nine times for England, and indeed only made his debut in November, 2008, but both the England players and management are united in their belief that their fortunes over the next five games that make up the Six Nations will depend a great deal on Riki Flutey.
The Kiwi-turned Englishman, who missed the three, disappointing autumn internationals after shoulder surgery last August, is close to being the first name on Martin Johnson's teamsheet for when England take on Wales at Twickenham in the tournament opener in just 13 days' time. This is why all and sundry went quiet and listened when the 29-year-old delivered his verdict on the autumn tests at a Twickenham squad meeting a fortnight ago, and although it was undoubtedly meant to be constructive, it was also pretty damning.
"I had a very positive attitude towards being out of the game due to the shoulder operation, but one thing frustrated me beyond belief and that was not having a voice and being able to give my opinion during the autumn internationals," explained the inside centre as he sat in the clubhouse at his French club Brive, away from the thick of the current attention focussed on England, but far from forgotten.
"I understand the problems there were in having so many players out injured and bringing in new guys who were taken out of their comfort zones and had to learn a new language in terms of playing, but at the same time players need to take some of the responsibility.
"After all, the last thing I want as a player is for a coach to tell me this is what I have to do within a structure. That takes away my vision and my flair. If I see space and I'm going to ask someone to put me or a teammate into that space I don't want to see people holding back because they think the coach is saying from here you have to do this, this and this. That's what I felt watching England during the autumn. We were going through the motions of the pattern in training but within this we were doing nothing. We weren't creating anything for each other."
Did Flutey really say all this in front of the squad and management? "I did," he replied. "You see, when we're on the field we have to take responsibility. You can't always ask in a split second: "Hold on, am I allowed to do this?" I don't want a situation where I don't have any freedom in whatever structure I'm given. I know Brian Smith (the England attack coach) doesn't want this, either. He's encouraging us to play with a lot more freedom within the structure. That means that the half backs, for example, can cancel the planned move and do something else at a moment's notice."
Shane Geraghty filled Flutey's absent boots in the autumn but failed so dismally to recreate his club form that he now finds himself demoted to the Saxons squad. Inside him a dreadfully deep Jonny WIlkinson failed to impress.  "Ten is huge," Flutey confirmed, having played at stand off many times himself during his career both in New Zealand and England. "The role is to both organise the pattern of play and look for opportunities. It's not a question of playing deep in a game, or playing flat. You have to mix it up according to the circumstance. If the move's asking me to be the playmaker at 12, for example, then the ten has to be deep, but if we're looking to move the ball quickly down the backs or we want to be in the opposition's faces then ten stays flat. There shouldn't be a rigid pattern to this."
Kicking is another area that Flutey feels needs to be worked on, after an autumn that saw England kick away both the ball and possession with montonous regularity. "If we're in our own 22 and the opposition have their back three and number eight back then what's the point of just kicking the ball to them and giving away possession?" he asked. "We need to react to the situation on the field. That means maybe getting the ball out wide because their wings are deep, or manipulate their defence, or go through two or three phases to bring the number eight and the back three up. Then you've created space to kick the ball into. What I saw in the autumn was players kicking the ball for the sake of kicking, just to get the ball out of England's half."
If nothing else you can expect Flutey to engineer a more offensive approach when Wales come to Headquarters on February 6th, and if they are buoyed by the notion of a vital player at inside centre featuring for England who has just come back from a serious injury, then the man in question has some news. Last year, a year in which he stamped his authority on the Six Nations to help guide England into second place, before then playing for the British & Lions in their winning third test against South Africa, Flutey was only at "60%" due to his shoulder injury. Now this problem has been finally sorted, he feels close to 100%.
"It was this time last year when my shoulder became sore after a front on tackle playing for Wasps against Castres," Flutey explained. "During the Six Nations I had rehab before and after every test to get me on to the field for the next one. The adrenalin of playing hid the pain most of the time but, when I was with the Lions, I felt it go again during the game against the Southern Kings. I was up icing my shoulder for every two hours during the night in order to get me fit for the third test when I knew both Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Roberts would be out injured.
"I arrived at Brive late due to the Lions. They'd already played three games and I'd had next to no off-season or pre-season training. I was desperate to play against Clermont Auvergne as it was a big, local derby for Brive but, in hindsight, I shouldn't have done so. Every time I made a tackle I felt a sharp pain. Afterwards I couldn't lift my arm up to my shoulder, let alone over it. After seeing medical advice I realised I had to have surgery. Otherwise I'd be short-changing myself and my teammates at both Brive and England.
"I enjoyed my time out of the game, apart from watching the autumn tests. It was the first break I'd had in ten years and I was able to shake off all my niggles and work on my conditioning. I came back to England where we have a place in Twickenham and went every day to the stadium for one on one treatment with Bill Knowles, the sports rehabilitation specialist, Margot Wells, the sprint coach, and Barney Kenny, the RFU's physio.
"For the first time in a long time I feel pretty much injury free now. I would hope to be a better player for this than I was last year when, like I said, I was only operating to 60% of my capacity due mainly to my shoulder."  
He may need to be, too, because first up is Wales and Jamie Roberts, who will be aiming his large, rampaging frame directly at his opposite number, and friend, at inside centre. "Yeah, we became good mates with the Lions," Flutey confirmed. "We were roommates and also sat on the music committee. Jamie's a top man and I really enjoyed his company."
All of which will clearly count for nothing, though. "Well, I've played against a lot of very good mates in my time, such as Seilala Mapusua and Aaron Mauger. When you play against a mate you have to show them respect, and the best way of doing this is to give it 100%. That's what I'll be doing against Jamie and any other Welshman for that matter."
Flutey's also up against his former Wasps and Lions coach, Shaun Edwards, who also serves as assistant coach to Wales. "The Welsh boys told me that Shaun had them analysing me all week when they played us last year at Cardiff," he revealed. "I took that as a compliment. Anyway, I managed a few line breaks in the game and afterwards Shaun had a go at them, even though Wales won, because I did exactly what he said I would."
Riki Flutey grinned, clearly relishing the chance to do it again on Saturday week. "Let's hope Shaun will be having a go at the Welsh again on February 6th."
And let's hope England take heed of the man's advice.