All Blacks coach Steve Hansen hailed Ardie Savea’s showing in Saturday’s win over Australia in Yokohama and said the flanker had made a lot of ground in his game.
Extra time starting for the All Blacks had resulted in Savea feeling much more comfortable about his role in the side and was reflected in the contribution he was making on the field.
With Sam Cane having suffered a broken neck against South Africa, Savea, who already had more time due to injuries earlier in the season, was again able to step into the role and make his own impact.
He wasn’t overthinking the game and had his structures right to be able to go out and play well.
“He’s doing it week in and week out and I think he’s taken a lot of confidence from being out there for long periods of time too, rather than just little stints which always seems to build confidence in the inner self. He’s going really well,” Hansen told the All Blacks’ official website.
Savea said the difference was that he was enjoying his rugby at the moment and it was an awesome feeling.
He said in the past he had possibly been trying to do too much on the field and he had found a way to simplify things, allowing him to do what he does best and play what he sees in front of him.
That meant he didn’t think too much about the fact that he was up against loose forwards like David Pocock and Michael Hooper for Australia. He just concentrated on doing his job based on what was in front of him.
Another factor was becoming used to the weight he had put on and becoming more comfortable with that.
Savea said the All Blacks unit was as tight as they had ever been recently, as a result of the growth within the players, and for new players coming in that made it easier for them to be themselves.
Growth off the field had also been a factor in why Savea was feeling more confident on the field.
“It’s good to be around brothers that you trust and can connect with in a deep level and help you [to be] steady on the field,” he said.
Savea said the scrum had gone well against Australia and was delighted that prop Karl Tu’inukuafe had been nominated as a World Rugby breakout player of the year.
“He’s probably one of the kindest, most humble guys you’ll ever meet and I guess everyone knows about his story so it’s awesome to see him get recognised and get nominated, so fingers crossed. I’m really chuffed for him,” said Savea.