Hansen on the ‘beast’

Vaea Fifita’s done a fair job of hiding his light under a bushel.

The big blindside flanker is shy. Some rugby players happily court publicity, but the 25-year-old Tongan has quietly progressed from the island of Vava’u, through schools rugby in Auckland, the Wellington club scene, provincial and Super Rugby and all the way to the All Blacks with only a select few knowing anything about him.

When you keep as low a profile as Fifita, it would be easy to get overlooked. Although not, as it turns out, by Steve Hansen.

The All Blacks coach made some extraordinary claims and comparisons about Fifita on Thursday, that means no-one will ever miss him again. They were all true; it’s just that coaches rarely talk up players, particularly largely unknown ones, to that degree.

‘‘Vaea’s a really, really good athlete. Probably one of the best athletes I’ve had anything to do with, from a natural just sheer ability [point of view],’’ Hansen said.

In concert with All Blacks strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill, Fifita has added six kilograms to his frame in recent times. Listed not long ago at 107kg, Fifita is now in the 116kg bracket, said Hansen, and had the same speed and endurance as before.

Having made his test debut against Samoa earlier this season, Fifita will be unleashed upon Argentina at Yarrow Stadium on Saturday. He might be just one test into his career, but the coach is predicting big things.

‘‘So I want to see a real physical beast that we know he can be. But we also want to see him do his core roles.’’