Reece ‘buzzing’ After Debut
Sevu Reece was happy with his All Blacks debut against Argentina on Sunday. Debutants Reece, Luke Jacobson and Braydon Ennor nearly got off to an inauspicious start to their test careers but after the final whistle the trio revealed their first taste of All Blacks rugby had merely whetted their appetites.
“It was really special to officially become an All Black now,” Reece said. “I’m still buzzing now.
“It was different to what I was expecting, it was a lot faster.” Reece emerged on the positive side of the ledger after some bright moments, particularly when he ran off Aaron Smith’s shoulder in the first half to make a big break up the middle.
There was one moment of doubt on defence in the second half but the powerful Crusaders wing said afterwards that communication was a struggle in front of the vocal home crowd in Buenos Aires.
“It got tough out there a little but with the massive crowd,” he said. “You can’t even hear your own teammate talking to you.
“It was crazy. I couldn’t even hear the calls, the strikes we were going to run, even with my teammate next to me.
“I still struggle to find words to describe how I’m feeling.
“All my family is back in Fiji but everyone is awake. Thanks for all the support.” Chiefs loose forward Jacobson was also thrilled with his 20-odd minutes on the field when the All Blacks were under the pump. “To be honest I haven’t been able to let it settle in just yet,” Jacobson said.
“I’ve been blocking out the emotions this week just to get out there and do what I normally do.
“She was tight out there. It’s always a bit of weird feeling when it’s tight with the ABs. Crusaders outside back Ennor echoed those thoughts after replacing Jordie Barrett on the left wing in the closing stages.
Ennor gave a glimpse of what he could do with ball in hand and said he relished being thrown into the pressure cooker.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Ennor said. “I feel privileged and lucky and proud all at the same time.
The youngsters, plus fellow debutant Atu Moli, now face a nervous wait to see if they will be involved against the Springboks in Wellington on Saturday, when the senior Crusaders players who missed the Argentina test will come back and give the All Blacks a different look. The return of captain Kieran Read could push Jacobson out of the match-day 23 but there is no doubt the talented 22-year-old has a big career ahead of him.