All Black Jane misses Twitter audience

Just three days into New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup campaign and Cory Jane is already feeling the pressure.

But it is not the home nation’s high expectations at RWC 2011 that is weighing heavily on the All Blacks wing.

Coping without access to social networking is proving his biggest battle.

A prolific tweeter with more than 20,000 followers, Jane says he is already suffering withdrawal.

“I’m battling,” he confessed. “I’m checking it every 10 minutes, just to see what people are writing, what’s going on.

“It’s starting to hurt, but rules are rules.”

Banned

In a move instigated by senior players, the All Blacks have banned the use of Twitter and Facebook during the tournament.

“In Auckland now ... haven't been told to stop tweeting yet ... I don't know if I can do it ...” Jane tweeted on 2 September before sneaking in one final tweet later that day to tell followers how much he would miss them.

While his fingers might still be twitching, the 28-year-old says he will struggle through the ban rather than create a pseudonym.

“I haven’t got Jane Cory up there yet. I’m not going to do that,” he insisted. “I don’t want to get kicked out, first of all.

“I’ll abide by the rules and just keep checking every 10 minutes.”

New Zealand play their opening Pool A match against Tonga on Friday at Eden Park where they have not been beaten there since 1994.