Ardie Savea starts in style
IT’S a tough crowd to win over, just ask Allan Hewson.
When the waifish Wellington fullback was preferred over Robbie Deans in the 1980s, Christchurch probably wasn’t Hewson’s favourite destination on a domestic or test itinerary.
Not even the All Blacks jersey made Hewson – a hero of the 1981 series win over the Springboks at Eden Park – immune from parochial Cantabrians, particularly when a local hero such as Deans was benched, or overlooked altogether at Lancaster Park.
Fortunately for Ardie Savea, not even the most myopic Cantab could argue with the 22-year-old starting ahead of Canterbury and Crusaders openside Matt Todd as Sam Cane’s replacement in the first Rugby Championship clash of the year with South Africa.
Savea also had the benefit of not being compared to Richie McCaw, who is for all intents and purposes incomparable, although Cane has been subject to serious scrutiny as the first player to inherit the coveted No7 shirt.
However, every All Blacks test is dissected to the nth degree on a collective and individual basis so how did one of the most noticeable All Blacks stand out when he made the first start of his six-test career at AMI Stadium?
Savea’s longest involvement until last night was 36 minutes last weekend against the Pumas; he also had a combined half hour against the Wallabies and a quarter of two Wales tests in June.
That game time as a tactical substitution – only Cane’s hamstring in Hamilton prompted an enforced change – gave the former sevens star a smooth initiation and he made a fairly nondescript contribution until the 49th minute.
After being limited to defensive duties while Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino were more prominent in open play, Savea was finally was given room to move, albeit in a confined space, and typically he pistoned past three defenders .
Moments later he made a neat transfer to Aaron Smith, who put Ben Smith behind the posts and seven minutes later he ranged in support of the halfback’s break to nail the bonus-point try, a feat acknowledged by a standing ovation.
Savea, who made 10 tackles in the first half, conceded two penalties and made one timely turnover – stats that would please Steve Hansen after he challenged the
Finally given room to move, typically he pistoned past three defenders
rookie to emulate Cane’s often unseen work in the earlier rounds of the Rugby Championship.
Hansen, as planned, substituted Savea on the hour mark – Todd was already on but another Cantabrian, Luke Romano, was welcomed warmly before the All Blacks completed a predictable 41-13 victory.
A capacity crowd of 20,783 didn’t chant ‘Ardie, Ardie’ – this wasn’t Westpac Stadium – but it’s safe to say Savea was a name on everyone’s lips.
In a good way. How times have changed since Hewie.