Stanley ready to kick on

Mike Stanley is on the brink of a Rugby World Cup appearance for Samoa - three years after falling out of love with the game in England and packing his bags to move back to New Zealand.

The Samoa fly-half, whose family is steeped in rugby, was born in Auckland but grew up in Thurrock, Essex, where he began to play the game and joined Saracens Academy. A future as an England player loomed after he represented the country at under-16, 18 and 20 level alongside current England trio Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Joe Marler.

ONFIELD REUNION

But when he was released by Saracens, Stanley decided to go back to New Zealand to try to rebuild his rugby career. It was there that he was given the opportunity to represent Samoa and now there is the prospect of an onfield World Cup meeting with his former England mates in the quarter-finals.

Stanley, who is preparing to play against the United States in Samoa's opening match in Brighton on Sunday, said: "Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind me what has happened in the past couple of years.

"I lost my love for the game and left for New Zealand in the hope I could rekindle it out there. Playing for Samoa never crossed my mind then. I began playing in the Auckland setup and then moved on to Counties Manukau where Tana Umaga was coach. He's someone I've always looked up to and he was a great help.

"Then this time last year Samoa got in touch and after several conversations with my family, particularly my grandmother, I decided to play for them."

EXTENDED FAMILY

His father Glenn is Samoan and a handy rugby league player, his mother Lynsey is English, and his extended rugby family is as big as the Tuilagis.

Uncle Joe was an All Black who helped New Zealand win the first World Cup in 1987, and his younger brother Sam has been part of England's sevens set-up.

Stanley received a call-up for Samoa's European tour and made his debut off the bench in a defeat by Italy. In his first start he kicked 13 points in a win over Canada in France.

The next stop was Twickenham, where he was sent on for the last quarter of an hour in the 28-9 defeat by an England side that had old pals Lawes, Youngs and Marler in their line-up.

Stanley doesn't yet allow himself to dream but he knows that next month he could be playing against the trio again in a World Cup quarter-final should England win their group and Samoa finish second in theirs.

"That day against England at Twickenham was pretty emotional and later in the season I was called up as a medical joker for Ulster so I moved to Belfast," he said.

INJURY SETBACK

Stanley was to provide cover for Ian Humphreys because Paddy Jackson was injured, but even then in this tale of rugby snakes and ladders, he almost slipped down a nasty python.

"I picked up a hamstring injury with Ulster and for a while it was touch and go, but thankfully I recovered to join the Samoan squad this summer," he said.

"It's not been a normal path but my uncle Joe says you should always believe in yourself and I have, even when rejected by Saracens.

Now anything can happen in this World Cup. I honestly believe we can beat anyone.

"In July, when we played the All Blacks, the whole of the country was buzzing and our display has given the team an enormous lift.

If we can get to that level again we will give anyone a game.

"We certainly won't underestimate the United States, and Scotland are coming on nicely.

The USA have some players who are in sharp form but we've been together for four weeks and the confidence in the camp is high. It's an exciting time."

Stanley believes Fiji will be dangerous opponents for England on Friday. He said:

"From one to 23, the Fijians can all run and offload. The England set-piece is very strong but Fiji are no slouches there either."