All Blacks: Slade given surprising opportunity

All Black coach Steve Hansen says the rationale is relatively simple: they need to see whether Slade can genuinely start a game on the wing. Photo / Christine Cornege

Given that Colin Slade was called into the All Black squad to replace a specialist wing, it shouldn't necessarily be a surprise that he will be in the No 14 jersey this Saturday.

Yet it is. It really is. If he'd been picked at first-five, it would have made sense at least on one level - that's his preferred position - but surprising for leap-frogging the queue.

If he'd been picked at fullback, wouldn't have been a surprise at all. But wing ... where he hasn't played since 2009 ... that is intriguing.

All Black coach Steve Hansen says the rationale is relatively simple: they need to see whether Slade can genuinely start a game on the wing. They think he can, but they want to be sure and if they are right, then they will have a supremely good utility player on their hands..

A man who can play, properly play that is, at first-five, fullback and wing as well as be an accomplished goal-kicker - that's a huge asset.

There was some sense too in making that switch for this week as Julian Savea has had a huge season and could benefit from some lighter involvement given that he played in Chicago for longer than anyone expected. Slade reckons that all makes sense, and despite not having played on the wing for five years, says he's been able to familiarise himself with the intricacies and nuances of the role this week.

Also, while it could be daunting, he's smart enough to see the scale of opportunity he's been handed.

"It is a bit of a cliche but I suppose you get to the point where I am and you don't turn down an opportunity wherever it is," he says.

"A start for the All Blacks ... they don't come around too often. I have played a lot on the wing. It is getting familiar with the moves. It is like trying to think like a wing and some of the stuff doesn't come naturally. A couple of times [at training] I have made calls and Bender [Ben Smith] has said piss off back to the wing mate. I have learned my place pretty quick."

What has also helped him settle was being given a heads-up about the move last week in London. Hansen gave him advanced warning - a situation that no doubt made Slade nervous.

The last time Hansen asked to see Slade one-on-one midweek was in Brisbane to tell the utility back he wasn't going to be picked for the end- of-year tour.

"I suppose you fill in the blanks yourself to a certain extent," says Slade. "We have also got three other 10s here who are very capable so getting an opportunity there is pretty tough.

"Shag [Hansen] came to me last week and said we are probably going to play you in the Scotland test - we are not sure whether it is going to be fullback or wing."