I’ll be back in black, says Savea

World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea says he is available for All Blacks selection from the opening test of the year, against England in Dunedin on July 6, as he refreshes body and mind with a season in Japan.

Savea, who is playing for Kobe Kobelco Steelers in Japan Rugby League One, spoke to international media from Japan this week and made it abundantly clear that life is good away from the familiar grind of Super Rugby.

The 30-year-old famously watches little rugby outside his professional requirements, and admitted he had consciously kept New Zealand at arm’s length during his time in Japan, aside from taking pleasure in watching a few Hurricanes games.

However, with several loose forwards putting their hands up in Super Rugby, Savea said he would be “available for selection” from the get-go of the test campaign, and sent a reminder that the fire in his belly was still burning.

“As a player, you're a competitor,” he said. “You’re competing against each other, and that’s my mindset. Seeing the young brothers [at the Hurricanes] – because I’m good friends with them – play well, it’s awesome.

“But, you know, in the back of my mind, we’re in the same position, same competition. So, I’ve got to do what I need to do to stay ahead.

“It’s awesome to see them play well, it’s awesome to see them flourishing, but at the same time, yeah, I use that to drive me to be better or try to be better.”

Savea also confirmed he had had a few chats with new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, who visited Japan two weeks ago to catch up with a number of players.

However, Savea said the conversations were not expansive, and he had no idea about Robertson’s thinking on the All Blacks captaincy, or his broader game plan.

“I’ve had a few conversations with Razor, just around feedback on my game and what I’m doing, and what I need to improve on or work on,” he said.

“It’s kind of been minimal, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better at what I’m doing.”

Robertson’s light-touch approach reflects Savea’s current needs. The Hurricanes icon – he will rejoin the franchise next season – spoke repeatedly about how a combination of the Japanese culture, less critical fans and the new experience of playing under Dave Rennie at Kobe had been “refreshing”.

It had also allowed him time to process the agonising loss to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final, and Savea acknowledged that the two tests in South Africa later this year would have an extra edge.

“We do miss playing South Africa teams in Super Rugby,” he said. “Playing two tests in South Africa, it’s like a highlight in a player’s career in New Zealand.

“It would be awesome to be able to make that team, to come back to South Africa and play the world champions. There will be a bit of sting in that, too.”