IT was more Samoa than Newport when James Arlidge arrived in Nottingham a couple of weeks ago.

The new Green and Whites fly-half, fresh from kicking two conversions and four penalties in Japan's dramatic 26-23 victory over Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup, is looking forward to a season of promise at Meadow Lane.

Though not as hot as the humidity of Apia, Nottingham was certainly a good few degrees warmer and drier than Wales where Arlidge played for the Gwent Dragons during the last two years.

His precision kicking wasn't enough for Japan to win the competition but it advertised what is in store for Nottingham's supporters over the next nine months.

"It's been a good couple of weeks so far and it was great to meet all the guys," he said.

"We're training really hard at Lady Bay and I'm looking forward to the season getting started."

Nottingham's director of rugby, Glenn Delaney, himself a Kiwi, set his sights earlier this year on bringing his countryman to Meadow Lane

"I had a chat with Glenn a few months ago," said Arlidge. "He had a lot of good things to say about the set-up and the team, and what they are trying to achieve.

"That conversation is basically what convinced me to come here."

Nottingham finished fourth last season in the Championship league table but then fell away in the play-offs, failing to progress beyond the round robin section.

Arlidge is hoping he can help them go a good deal further this time.

He said: "I'd like to see the team getting into the top four and the play-off semi-finals and doing the best they can there.

"I just want to do my best for the club and, hopefully, make a difference here and help the team to achieve the goals they've set themselves.

"I've never seen Nottingham play and all I know about Championship rugby is what Glenn has told me and what some of the boys have said.

"The Dragons played a couple of pre-season friendly games against Championship sides. We played against Bedford a couple of years ago and played against Coventry last year."

Delaney is delighted with his new acquisition. He said: "James is a good signing for us. He will bring us leadership and experience, and a true cutting tactical edge.

"It's very clear that you need to have a top quality general in the game that we try to play. James has got all those qualities and I know that he is going to be able to bring us the experience and the ability to bring our young players into the game at the right times.

"Nottingham has had a long line of quality fly halves and we are very confident that James is the next one of those and that he is going to play a huge part in our campaign this season."

Arlidge is also a reliable goal-kicker, and took responsibility at the Dragons and for Japan.

"We have Jacko (David Jackson) who is a very good kicker but I expect James will probably take the responsibility off him," said Delaney.

"But that is the one area I don't get involved in. I don't care who kicks as long as they kick it over.

"The players make those decisions among themselves.

"In the past we had Tonks (Greig), Jacko, Taylor (Tim), who all took turns at times but when Jacko was hot with his goal-kicking, he was our No.1 kicker. When a kicker is hot, they are hot.

"But we've been lucky to have choices in the past and it looks like we will have again this season

"Cesar, our new full-back, is also a goal-kicker and now with James, I don't think we will have too many problems in that area this season."

Before he joined Newport Gwent Dragons, Arlidge lived in Japan for four years and qualified on residency to play for their national team.

Arlidge, who will be 31 on August 11, was born in Hamilton, New Zealand.

He made his Super Rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making the step from junior rugby with Pakuranga and Auckland Colts, due to the then Blues first-choice outside half Carlos Spencer being injured.

Later in 2002, he made his debut for Auckland in New Zealand's NPC Tournament.

Arlidge signed for South Island side, The Highlanders for the 2003 Super 12 season, as well as playing his NPC rugby with Otago.

In 2004, he began a four-year stint in Japan with Osaka-based club NTT DoCoMo Kansai and in May 2008, he joined the Newport Gwent Dragons.

He made his New Zealand Maori debut, against a Canada All Stars side, on their 2003 North America tour.

He made his test debut for Japan in an emphatic 82-0 win over South Korea in Tokyo, scoring two tries and kicking ten conversions.

However, a broken leg meant he missed the 2007 World Cup and most of that season.