All Blacks: Messam eyes test redemption

Liam Messam has been shadowing skipper Richie McCaw as he looks to restart his All Blacks career. Photo / Getty Images

MILAN - A tick over a year since his All Blacks test rugby debut, Liam Messam reckons he's learned at least one decent lesson. Be like Richie.

It may be easier said than done but, as Messam prepares for his third test appearance in a sporadic international career against Italy, he's been all but shadowing his skipper since the team assembled.

Who better as a rugby role model, and provider of inspiration to All Blacks loose forward aspirants, Messam says as he looks to get his international career back on the rails.

"I've just really been watching Richie, the way he plays and presents himself as a person and a player. Watching him inspires me to be like him," Messam said today.

"He's probably one of the hardest men I've seen. Him and Brad Thorn, every week they just put their body on the line for the jersey. To see the punishment they take on their bodies is awesome to see."

He'll get first chance to put that physical commitment into practice at a packed San Siro on Sunday morning (NZT).

Messam, 25, has required a steely focus after a false start to his redemption tour with a calf muscle twinge, having been unceremoniously dumped from the All Blacks for the Tri-Nations after that 22-27 defeat to France in Dunedin.

He missed too many tackles in the eyes of the hard-marking men in charge, and was the scapegoat as he departed with his ears burning.

The "work-ons" - the latest All Blacks buzzword - were several as Messam headed back to club rugby then the Air NZ Cup for Waikato.

"I thought that was just normal with the All Blacks, because there are a lot of expectations playing in that jersey. I just took their feedback and went to fix my game.

"They said they were just pleased at the way I went back to Waikato and worked on the things they asked me to. I guess I turned them into my strengths for the NPC and worked pretty hard to get them right."

A natural ball runner, he spent many hours honing his defence and eliminated the big-hit glory tackles. By the end of the national championship he felt he was a better player for it.

"I just went out every game to keep building on my previous week and at the end it was the highest tackle percentage for a while.

"Sometimes I was getting a bit too eager and over-hitting too much and getting brushed off.

"When it comes to test match footy it's the small things that count, not the big things. It's about nailing the little things, like tackling and ball retention."

That's where McCaw's blueprint has come in as Messam rested his calf injury, and now he felt good to go against Italy.

With coach Graham Henry vowing to give all 33 squad members a chance, Messam looms as favourite to wear the No 6 jersey amid a highly competitive loose trio.

He said the energy and excitement had been noticeable as the team arrived in Milan yesterday, knowing some of them were in for their long-awaited first start of the tour.

But as for being given a chance at seven, to show what he'd learned from McCaw, Messam drew the line. A totally different position than blindside, he reckons.

"No, not yet. I've had a couple of games at seven and I've still got to work at it and chip away.

"He (McCaw) just gets beaten up every week, and the position he gets his body into is unreal. I feel sorry for opensides in test match footy, they do get marked and bashed around a bit."

- NZPA