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All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina expresses a snort of humourous derision when asked if he feels old.
“Mate, I have just spent the whole day saying that I’m not!” the 31-year-old told Reuters at the New Zealand team’s media day in Auckland.
“Experience is a better way to put it, especially when you have guys like (lock) Brad Thorn (36) who is five to six, maybe 10 years older than me and I’m getting tagged as the old guy in the team.
“Experience is a nice way to put it,” he added with a smile.
Whether he likes it or not, Muliaina is one of the oldest members of the 2011 World Cup squad, having accumulated 98 test caps to sit tied with captain Richie McCaw for the most number of appearances for New Zealand.
Few are doubting the pair will reach the 100-cap milestone together and while McCaw looks an automatic choice for the early pool games given the injuries to fellow loose forwards Adam Thomson and Kieran Read, Muliaina is under pressure for his place from young pretenders like Israel Dagg and Isaia Toeava.
Not that it concerns him.
“I think it’s exciting that there are guys there wanting to be in that fullback position and take your spot,” he said of the possible challenge from Dagg in particular, who was electric in the All Blacks’ loss to South Africa last month.
“I have occupied it (the position) for a reasonable amount of time and you know when guys are nipping at your heels.
“But there is an excitement factor with these guys and it’s bringing the best out of a lot of guys, I have seen that and it’s doing it for me.
“You only occupy the jersey one week after another, certainly with the talent we have got then I definitely want to start, but if that’s not the case and I’m not good enough to be out there then my job is to make sure that guy does the best he can and we win this damn thing.”
Winning the Webb Ellis trophy has been something of a goal for Muliaina, who is making his third successive World Cup appearance, having been an integral part of the All Blacks since his international debut against England in June 2003.
An exciting counter-attacker, he formed a potent back three with Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett eight years ago only for the All Blacks to crash out in the semi-finals to Australia, while he played centre in the 2007 quarter-final defeat to France.
That surprise 20-18 loss in Cardiff had motivated him to stay in New Zealand and attempt to make the 2011 World Cup squad and help the perennial favourites lift the trophy for the first time since they won the inaugural competition 24 years ago.
“I think looking back if it had all gone well, I probably wouldn’t be here today,” said Muliaina, who is leaving New Zealand for a two-year stint with Japanese club NTT Docomo after the World Cup.
“It took me about a year to really look at myself and look at whether I would be here (in New Zealand) in four years time.
“I had to look at my mind and the body, though the drive was still there to be an All Black and I had a word to a couple of coaches and I’m glad that happened... and that I’m part of this tournament.