World Cup lure as Pisi presses for game-time at Saints

NORTHAMPTON wing Ken Pisi knows he needs a storming end to the season to earn a new contract and keep his World Cup dream with Samoa alive.

Pisi, 30, has been an influential figure for Saints since joining in 2012 but only recently returned to action after recovering from shoulder surgery.

He told The Rugby Paper: “My contract’s up so this is a big period for me because my family is settled here.

“I love the club and I really want to stay. I’m enjoying it under Chris Boyd and, hopefully, we can work something out, but it depends on game-time now and the options that are available.

“I hit it off well with Chris last summer and it was exciting having a Kiwi coach to bring a bit of Southern Hemisphere flavour to the UK.

“I played all of the pre-season and the first couple of league games, but then I did my shoulder against Quins. It’s been my worst injury to date – four months out – so the timing couldn’t have been much worse and I’ve been itching to get back out there.

“It’s been hard not being able to prove myself to Chris but he’s given me a few chances over the last few weeks and I’m trying to take them.”

Pisi, below, has returned just as Saints are hitting their stride and he added: “Chris has brought in a very attacking style and from the get-go he told boys that if they train well and play well, there’ll be opportunities for them – and he’s been as good as his word “There’s huge competition for me from guys like Taqele Naiyaravoro, Ahsee Tuala and Tom Collins but, hopefully, I’m rising to that challenge.”

Pisi has a second World Cup in his sights after featuring in all four pool matches in 2015.

He said: “I’m still vying for a World Cup position and if I can get some good game-time and impress the coaches, that’s one of my big goals for this season now.

“I’ve had a chat with the Samoan coaches and they just want to see me play.”