Genia kept the faith

New Wallaby Will Genia has revealed that an encouraging phone call from coach Robbie Deans kept him motivated while he was recovering from a finger injury.

The 21-year-old was included in Deans' 30-man Tri Nations squad, just nine weeks after he ruptured a tendon in his figure in a Super 14 match against the Brumbies in May.

With a three-month recovery period ruining Genia's hopes of being named in the first four Tests, Deans phoned the scrumhalf to offer his support and encouragement.

"He (Deans) just said 'do whatever you need to do to get back - don't rush back - and we'll definitely cross paths before the end of the year'," Genia told reporters at Ballymore on Thursday.

"That definitely stuck with me. It gave me an incentive to keep working hard."

Since that phone call, Genia has made massive strides in his recovery, but even he was surprised to hear of his selection so soon.

"It's unbelievable. I was sitting in the office doing a business diploma course and I (was given a copy of) a media release. I read it and couldn't believe it," he said.

"I couldn't study. I couldn't breathe properly."

Genia is already back in training pracitising his passing and ball handling and said his hand had healed well.

"I'll be right to go in two weeks," he said. "I've pretty much been in full training for the past two weeks, barring contact."

He also revealed that cementing a place in the Reds' starting line-up was his main goal at the start of the year and national honours were not in his plans.

"That was my goal, more so than getting a chance to play for the Wallabies," he said.

"For me my focus was just playing for Queensland and playing well, consistently for Queensland. I guess the rewards have come."

Genia will be joined by fellow Reds James Horwill, Berrick Barnes, Peter Hynes and Quade Cooper in the Wallabies camp.