Rugby: Hansen has confidence in Savea

All Black coach Steve Hansen has plenty of confidence in Julian Savea and there is little chance of the big winger being shown the door.

Steve Hansen.
Steve Hansen.
He also revealed yesterday Highlanders centre Malakai Fekitoa could have played if it was life and death but it was wiser to rest him.

Hansen said Savea had taken his dropping from the side for last week's test in Wellington well, and was looking good in training.

"He has trained really well. He is a different man than when he first came into camp,'' Hansen said.

"I'm confident we will get a better performance than we got last time. Whether we get the top drawer one, who knows? But if we do, it will be pretty special.''

Hansen said Savea's position in the squad was not in doubt.

"You don't go from being one of the greatest wings in the world to not being good enough to make the team. We fully understand where he is at and what we are doing with him. He is not far away from being where he needs to be.''

Hansen said the selection of the side was about risk and reward and he was backing his new boys.

"We have won the series but we are expecting a really brutal test match. Wales are talking about winning it and we want to win it. Are the rewards worthy of making the changes?

"Of course they are because we trust the players who are coming in. They have trained well and we need to find out if they are good enough going forward. We think they are - otherwise we wouldn't have put them out there.

"But the proof is always in the eating of the pudding.''

Hansen said Fekitoa had a nasty cut to his face and had taken a bang to the leg so it had been decided to rest him.

Blues midfield back George Moala takes his place and Hansen had every confidence in him, saying centre looked to be his preferred position.

He felt Moala did not have the pace to be a winger and was perhaps trying too hard for the Blues in the early part of the season.

Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo is the bench cover for the midfield. Hansen said Naholo had the ability to play there having experience in that area when younger.

Chiefs midfield back Charlie Ngatai is making progress from his concussion issues and is training without experiencing headaches.

Hansen confirmed Sonny Bill Williams would come back into the squad after his sevens commitments although he had to get through those first.

Meanwhile, Wales has made two changes to its team for the third test, both in the front row.

Prop Gen Jenkins has gone home injured and is replaced by Rob Evans while Tomas Francis starts in front of Samson Lee, who goes to the bench.

 


Wales team
to play All Blacks

Rhys Patchell, Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Hallam Amos, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton (captain), Ross Moriarty, Alan Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Tomas Francis, Ken Owens, Rob Evans. Reserves: Scott Baldwin, Aaron Jarvis, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Ellis Jenkins, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams.


 

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