All Blacks: Consistent Piutau boosts World Cup chances

Charles Piutau warms up during a New Zealand All Blacks training session. Photo / Getty Images.

From the low of being told his World Cup chances were at risk after he signed with Ulster, a blow made worse by a knee injury at the Blues, things are suddenly looking a lot more positive for Charles Piutau.

After a good performance against Manu Samoa in which he looked busy and energetic while many of his All Black teammates looked flat, to another consistent effort against Argentina in Christchurch during which he made the most of another start, Piutau has every right be happy with his lot.

He has another chance to press his claims for a place on the All Blacks' plane to London in September when he starts on the left wing against South Africa at Ellis Park tomorrow.

With Julian Savea, who has yet to play for the All Blacks this year, Israel Dagg and Ben Smith the front runners for the back three spots, Piutau is in a highly competitive position. And with Steve Hansen able to select only 31 players for the World Cup, the All Blacks selectors might decide to gamble and take only Savea, Dagg and Smith, in the knowledge that Colin Slade and Beauden Barrett can cover wing and fullback.

All Piutau can do, of course, is control the way he performs, and he is certainly doing that. He led the way with the highest metres with the ball at Apia Park (57m) and carried most often (9). He was equal best in terms of defenders beaten with four alongside George Moala.

In Christchurch against the Pumas, a test in which he scored a try, he ran 76m with the ball - second best behind Waisake Naholo's 81m - and was the second best ball carrier with 13 behind Sonny Bill Williams' 15.

Naholo's broken leg suffered in that test helps Piutau's claims, as does Cory Jane's continued problems with an ankle problem. Nehe Milner-Skudder is also in the mix and could get an opportunity against Australia in the coming weeks, but in the meantime Piutau is making the most of his opportunities. Comfortable on the left wing, he is also equally effective on the right wing or fullback.

"It's pretty obvious that there are a lot of outside backs in this Championship team, so [we have to make the most of] every opportunity we get, and it's not only on the field, it's off the field too - what we do in the environment," Piutau told the media in Johannesburg after his selection.

There are no guarantees in terms of a World Cup place, of course, but it's all a far cry from his decision in May to sign a lucrative contract with Ulster, which put his All Black future very much in the air. New Zealand Rugby's decision to block him from representing the Blues next season before he travels to Ireland was another blow, but he responded to the challenges put before him in terms of a lack of form at a struggling Blues and a knee injury which he recovered from extremely quickly.

In the black jersey he has shown the qualities the selectors want - a high workrate, ability to link with his back-three partners and an energy with the ball which makes him extremely hard to stop.

One of the main reasons for his move to Ulster was the opportunity to forge his own path away from Auckland. Asked in Johannesburg about his move offshore after initially agreeing to re-sign with New Zealand Rugby - and Piutau was in no doubt about where his priorities lay.

"I haven't really thought much about that. There's so much happening now in this team - that's where my focus has been at."

Piutau power:
v Manu Samoa
57m with ball - highest for All Blacks
9 carries - highest
4 defenders beaten - equal highest with George Moala

v Argentina
76m with ball - second highest behind Waisake Naholo's 81m
13 carries - second highest behind SBW's 15