Thursday 6 August 2015 09:44, UK
Julian Savea turned up for All Blacks duty "overweight" and has been through a three-week boot camp to get back to full fitness, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has revealed.
The 24-year-old, who has scored 30 tries in 33 Tests, missed the recent victories over Samoa, Argentina and South Africa but has been recalled to the All Blacks side for Saturday's Rugby Championship decider against Australia in Sydney.
The full reasons for Savea's absence from the team have emerged in Sydney this week, with coach Hansen saying his star wing had turned up to the All Blacks' first training camp out of shape but is now ready to resume his Test career.
"We're trying to get him fit, he turned up overweight," Hansen explained on Thursday.
"He's been good, though, and his attitude to that task has been fantastic. He's done everything he's been asked to do, he's made some great gains, he's gone through some pain.
"But he's pretty hungry, I don't mean for food, for the game, and that's a good place to have him. Because when he's like that he's a pretty handy footballer."
That assessment was clearly an effort at comic understatement and Savea's presence on the left wing is a sight no opponent will be keen to see as the All Blacks defend their World Cup title over the next few months.
When he first burst onto the Test scene in 2012, Savea's pace, strength and vision earned him comparisons with Jonah Lomu.
Savea said it had been disappointing to miss out on the start of the Rugby Championship but accepted he had not been in the best of shape after a long domestic season with the Wellington Hurricanes, the Super Rugby runners-up.
We're trying to get him fit, he turned up overweight. He's made some great gains, he's gone through some pain.
"It's always hard when you are playing week in, week out. Your eating stays the same or even increases, but the training load comes down," he said.
"So the coach made the decision, and I responded really well. I agreed with him and worked my (backside) off. It's been really rewarding and I'm happy with the changes I've seen over the last couple of weeks.
"I just wanna get out there."
Three of weeks of "pretty much just running" had the desired effect, he said, even if one session of repeated sprints in Johannesburg ended with him suffering an asthma attack and reaching for his inhaler
"There's nothing out of the ordinary, always happens, nothing strange about it," Savea said when asked about his health.
"I could be having one right now sitting down. All under control so it's going good."
New Zealand and Australia are both unbeaten in this season's Rugby Championship and are tied on nine points apiece. The fixture will also double up as the opening tie of the two-match Bledisloe Cup series between the two southern hemisphere giants.
Watch New Zealand tackle Australia live on Sky Sports 3 from 10.30am on Saturday.
