For All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea, the pressure of expectation at home ahead of the Bledisloe Cup showdown in Sydney can easily be put into perspective.
On the one hand, the No.8 and current world player of the year stressed the importance of retaining the famous old trophy – a win tomorrow would wrap up the series for another year and continue a streak that goes back to 2002.
And on the other, Savea said he and his teammates were in the privileged position of being paid to play the game they love when others were nowhere near as fortunate.
“Pressure for me is people at home not being able to eat and not having homes,” Savea said.
And, after two defeats to the Springboks in South Africa and an earlier Rugby Championship failure against Argentina in Wellington, tomorrow’s showdown is an opportunity to show resilience and be role models for those at home who may be doing it a bit tough.
“Everyone is different in how they deal with it,” Savea, who will run on for his 89th Test, said. “I’m an optimistic type, ‘what a great challenge to be able to show New Zealand that you can take two steps backwards and then power a couple ahead’.
“That’s like life – sometimes you get knocked down but it’s about how hard you get back up. What a way for this team to be a vessel for that and show the country we can bounce back.”
Like his indefatigable ball carrying, Savea has a knack for getting directly to the point and he said the importance of the Bledisloe Cup to both nations had been stressed to the All Blacks newcomers, including prop Pasilio Tosi, named on the bench for potentially his second Test cap after making his debut against Fiji in San Diego.
“When you first come in you have to understand the history of the Bledisloe,” Savea said. “That’s been part of the week… when New Zealand lost it many years ago and understanding the feeling for those players. [You don’t want to be] part of the team that hands it over. It creates that feeling in your gut.
“That’s how we’ve passed the message on to the new boys.”
Tosi said: “Hearing the history between these two nations… when it’s not the Rugby World Cup it’s the Bledisloe Cup. Growing up watching the All Blacks and Wallabies going head to head to take the Cup home… now being in the team – it’s pressure but it’s also a privilege.”
The All Blacks have appeared relaxed here in Sydney following a week off at home to recover from their tour of South Africa. There is a safe vibrancy in Australia that is a world away from Johannesburg or even Cape Town and that energy and excitement may be translated on to the field against a Wallabies team that is very much still a work in progress under Joe Schmidt.
“We’re trying to release the shackles and just play,” Savea said. “When you see All Blacks teams just play it looks like they’re in a flow state. There’s a lot of energy, a lot of excitement.”
Savea is part of an unchanged loose forward trio that includes 22-year-old flanker Wallace Sititi, whom he described as “inspirational” for his attitude and transition to the Test game, and veteran Sam Cane.
But few All Blacks have shown more resilience and adaptability that Tosi, a converted No.8 who converted to the front row after piling on too much weight during a Covid-19 lockdown when he was living in Invercargill in 2020.
“It was mine,” Tosi said of his decision to change positions. “I played 8 coming through high school and club rugby but the lockdown in 2020 hit and in that lockdown food was my best friend. I gained a few kegs and we came back and did a ‘yoyo’ [fitness test] and I did a shocking score. That was when I made the call.
“I had no idea what I was doing because I was at tighthead getting pumped every scrum. It wasn’t until I made NPC [at Bay of Plenty] and [scrum coach] Daniel Cron came in with Richard Watt who was coaching at the Steamers at the time. I learned a lot off him.”
Savea said: “It’s a huge testament because being a No.8 for so many years and then transitioning to becoming a prop, and being an international prop - not many people can do that. But when you have the heart and size of ‘Bus’… it’s a testament to his heart and family and dedication.
“I always try to tell him to ‘get the ball in your hands’ because he’s a hard man to stop.”
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