Hard running, hard-tackling Fekitoa made his starting debut against England in June and McCaw is backing the one-test wonder to fill the void at outside centre if the vastly-experienced Smith fails to return.
"It's happened enough times over the past and just look at the last test we played where Conrad broke his thumb so ... Malakai was the last guy who played at centre in our last test so him slotting in will be fine," McCaw said yesterday.
"At the end of the day, if you let those things influence what happens on the weekend, I think you haven't really got your environment set up right," he said. "So hopefully everyone's aware of what's going on and prepared as such and they'll be ready to go."
If Fekitoa does start, he will line up opposite Adam Ashley-Cooper just six weeks after the in-form Wallabies midfielder earned a decisive points victory over the talented youngster in the Waratahs' 44-16 thumping of the Highlanders in Sydney.
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper says his side respects Fekitoa after his "cracking year with the Highlanders", but will target him.
"We understand it's a new player who will come in - Fekitoa - and you've got to try out those areas and see what you do," Hooper said.
McCaw hasn't totally given up on Smith playing, but admits it's unlikely.
"We just expect that he's not going to be here and, if he comes back and is ready to go, he is one guy that would do that no trouble," he said.
Crusaders centre Ryan Crotty will take Fekitoa's place on the bench.
- AAP
