Stories of Savea's attacking venom followed his starring role at the Junior World Championships in 2010.
He crushed opponents or left them clutching shadows as his work provoked cries of Lomu II. Expectations at the Hurricanes were high for the 1.92m, 108kg bundle of explosive power. There were moments, but nowhere near enough, as Savea struggled with his handling and the defensive side of his game in a dozen matches for the Canes last year.
This season has been different.
His work under the high ball has been much more assured, his positional play and security on defence has gone up several notches while his attacking play can be devastating.
His late burst killed off the Highlanders and signalled he was ready for a place in an extended All Blacks squad.
A quality footballer like Jane was a certain pick for the wing while Savea's form and talent demanded one of the backup places.
His performance and Saturday's virtuoso finish declared "this is my time".
Last night's injury to Richard Kahui might elevate Savea further.
Others like Zac Guildford, Hosea Gear and Rudi Wulf bring strong qualities without that little extra sting.
Guildford is the speedster and Gear the powerful glider who drift in and out of games, Wulf is the the allrounder with a low mistake rate. All three have played for the All Blacks and performed well.
But Savea hints at something special, a player to pick now to show his worth at the next level while his confidence is high.