Brad Shields unfazed by comments he'd be an All Black had he not committed to England

Hurricane's Brad Shields and Highlander's Aaron Smith and Richard Buckman watches as Hurricane's Captain Dane Coles escapes Highlander's Rob Thompson tackle. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

Brad Shields was unfazed by Steve Hansen's comments that he would have been an All Black had he not committed to England.

The Hurricanes loose forward, who will play for England against South Africa in June, said he was under no impressions that he had made the wrong call.

"It is what it is. I've made my decision and I'm confident it's the right one."

"I've just got to move on, like I already have. I've made my decision and I've come to grips with that for a while now," said Shields. "Onwards and upwards. There's plenty of opportunity here left in New Zealand to play some good footy, and also abroad, so I'm looking forward to that."

Shields would "probably" have been included in the 2018 All Blacks squad, Hansen said after naming his squad for June's series against France.

A new-look set of loose forwards were named for the sereis, with Vaea Fifita, Jordan Taufua, Shannon Frizell and Luke Whitelock having everything to prove.

"It is obviously one of those positions ... he probably would have made this team this year," Hansen told Newstalk ZB's Martin Devlin, when asked if Shields was on the radar.

"I wish him all the best ... he wants to play test rugby, he obviously didn't see a future here.

"[but] straight away Jerome Kaino retired, Reado (Kieran Read) is injured, Liam Squire hasn't played a lot of rugby this year. The six/eight role has become a focus for us this year.

"That's the thing about the All Blacks — you've got to stay resilient because you are always up against some one else as good if not a little better ... if you are not prepared to wait for the opportunity and keep working at it you are not going to get it

"That's my point to the people who have missed out today — we used 54 players last year and we won't just use 33 this year.

"Someone will get an opportunity and if they mentally stay in the game, stay in the fight through being resilient with how they prepare and how they play on game day, they will get that opportunity."