All Blacks: Versatile Vito ready for anything

New Zealand All Black Victor Vito during a press conference at the team hotel in London, before the start of the Rugby World Cup 2015. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

Lock, or any of the three loose forward positions - the versatile Victor Vito is ready for anything at this World Cup.

The 2011 edition of the tournament taught him that was the best policy. In the pool game against Canada on his home track in Wellington he started at No7 after Richie McCaw decided to rest his sore (broken, as it turned out) foot and he finished it on the wing.

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This time Vito, one of six All Blacks loose forwards here and most often used at blindside flanker or No8, also has to be prepared to step into the second row after the selectors decided to take three, rather than four, locks.

"My whole career in this team has been looking to back up No6, No7 or No8, and potentially lock at a pinch, now, with the make-up of our squad," Vito said. "But I'm ready to put my hand up for wherever is necessary. That's what I did at the last World Cup - whether that's starting or on the bench or not playing, that's the role I'm here to play for the All Blacks.

"I wasn't expecting to be playing in that [Canada] game, but Richie, as we all know, had a problem with his foot and just decided it was best not to risk it. I enjoyed that game because it was in Wellington, at home.

"I just remember dotting down for a cheeky meat pie. I think the ball bobbled out 5m from the Canadian line and I just picked it up. It was probably the easiest try I ever scored but I claimed it. I played wing that day too so that was something else."

The 28-year-old Vito, who has played 28 tests, probably confirmed his place in the World Cup squad with a standout performance last time out against Australia at Eden Park, not that he will be reading too much into that, apart from, possibly, a little extra confidence.

He said the key to World Cup success was leaving the past to its own devices. "Its about making sure ... we have to take the learnings and move on and not really take anything that we might have done well in that game as an expectation into the next game. We can't get too carried away. In World Cups gone we've learned that lesson and I think that was something that helped us in 2011."

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