Savea set for stint at No 7
Cane’s injury paves way for bench regular to prove his worth as a starter on northern tour
Ardie Savea’s constant legspumping, high-energy hunger will finally get a prolonged crack at the All Blacks starting side. Savea has played 31 tests since his 2016 debut but started only seven. Invariably those have been one-offs, coming at the same time as other selection changes.
Sam Cane’s neck fracture opens the door for Savea’s first extended period at No 7. And while circumstances are unfortunate, no one could say he doesn’t deserve it.
Cane’s defensive strengths and leadership will be a major loss as he spends at least three months recovering from his South African surgery.
But in his last two outings, Savea proved he is more ready than ever to take this chance.
With Matt Todd in Japan, Savea is the clear, almost unchallenged incumbent for the northern tour.
That alone signals how far he has come, with Todd applying pressure for back-up duties this time last year.
Blake Gibson, Dillon Hunt and James Lentjes are among those staking claims to replace Cane. But undoubtedly this is Savea’s time.
That it comes in career-best form, and with Pau thought to be attempting to lure Savea and Ben Smith to France after the World Cup, only adds to intrigue.
The All Blacks will be desperate to retain Savea, only 24, well beyond 2019. But as older brother Julian and many others have discovered, offshore riches can be difficult to ignore.
Pau are coached by New Zealanders Simon Mannix and Savea’s old Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith. Colin Slade, Benson Stanley, Peter Saili, Frank Halai and Jamie Mackintosh are other Kiwis already on the ambitious club’s books.
Spending time in the All Blacks starting side will only increase Savea’s bargaining power and, when Cane returns, ultimately test his patience.
In the past two weeks, Savea starred as a late inclusion for Luke Whitelock at No 8 in Buenos Aires and did so again after replacing Cane 35 minutes into the remarkable comeback victory over the Springboks in Pretoria.
Switching between those two roles seamlessly is a feat in itself but as the All Blacks mounted their late charge against the Boks, Savea snaffled two turnovers, and his body position to crash over and hand Richie Mo’unga the chance to kick the match-winning conversion was exemplary.
“This season, he has made a mark,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said. “He is starting to believe he can be a test player of real quality.”
Many have long believed Savea possessed attributes to become just that but at times quality performances for the Hurricanes and All Blacks have been sporadic.
Savea has always been a phenomenal attacking talent, with his speed, offloads and workrate causing many teams problems. In this regard, he could add another dimension to the All Blacks.
His challenge, particularly in successive tests against England and Ireland next month, will be to bring that same impact to repeat defensive and breakdown work, and do it from the outset when opposition forward packs are fresh.
European tests present different challenges to those in the Rugby Championship, with northern sides scrumming for penalties and often contesting the breakdown in greater numbers.
These battlegrounds frequently put the squeeze on to limit open movement where Savea’s range of skills thrive.
With that stage now set for him to make the step up, Savea’s immediate and longterm future will be of great interest.