Ardie could do the job at No 8
start. The experienced coach said Savea had the tenacity, talent and technique to play No 8 at the highest level, though admitted it would come with one important downside.
‘‘The All Blacks were probably looking at Liam Squire as No 8 if Kieran Read wasn’t available. Now it gets down to who’s next,’’ said Plumtree on Saturday in the wake of the Canes’ 41-22 home victory over the Stormers – their sixth on the bounce and eighth in nine games this season.
‘‘They could look at Ardie. It’s not his specialist position, but he’s talented enough. He’s got a good skill base for No 8, speed off the back of the scrum, defensively he’s very good and he attacks the ball. He ticks a lot of boxes.
‘‘But he’s not Read or Squire in terms of ball-winning at the lineout. He can win ball but he’s not a big ball-winner. That would be a negative in terms of him playing at No 8.’’
Plumtree, though, had no doubt that Savea could handle the physicality of test rugby as a No 8, despite a relatively quiet game on the ball-carrying front against the big Stormers pack. He ran for just 56 metres over 13 carries, with just the lone tackle-break.
‘‘I don’t think that’s a problem,’’ he added. ‘‘Ardie makes more metres in Super Rugby than most loose forwards, and I’m sure he can do it in test rugby as well. He’s not a 112kg ball-carrier, but he’s got the fight of a 120kg ballcarrier.’’