KEY POINTS:
As the Blues forwards sweat through a training session, Isaia Toeava watches in shorts and T-shirt. He has finished his duties and would rather be scooting off to the shops for lunch with injured utility Anthony Tuitavake.
But first he has an interview, a task he would prefer
to sidestep with the sort of footwork he put on the Reds last weekend. You have some sympathy for the young man who was thrust into the New Zealand rugby limelight when picked for the Grand Slam tour in 2005.
Toeava would probably have preferred to work his way through the accepted order of the provincial championship and then the Super 14 in his quest for the All Blacks. But the national selectors decided to reverse that pattern. Naturally the media inspection settled on the-then teenage utility.
An investment for the future we were told, a player with the potential to be part of the World Cup squad or even be the player of the tournament.
Sixteen months on, Toeava has been through a Super 14 campaign with the Hurricanes at fullback, been involved in five tests and is now making his way as the first-choice centre for the Blues.
There have been difficult times, moments when Toeava must have questioned what he was doing at the elite level of international rugby and when those watching shared similar sentiments. The media were asked to cut Toeava some slack, to make allowances for his development even though test rugby was supposed to be the pinnacle for the winter sport.
That uneasy situation was not helped after Toeava had mixed results during his 70-minute stint of the Pretoria test as a replacement centre against the Springboks. Anxiety and inexperience came through and while there was a spirited, nay, exuberant defence for Toeava from the selectors, he was not chosen for the next test. It was a strange omission after comments from Steve Hansen.
"One day he will be a superstar, I've got no doubt about that. The public and you people [media] just have to be a little bit patient because we're prepared to be," said the assistant coach.
Toeava is only 21 and just making his way in his second season of the Super 14. He is diffident, almost reluctant to engage those from outside the franchise.
It does not surprise that he shies away from inquiries about his All Black future.
He is feeling more comfortable at centre as he eyes his fourth start there tonight for the Blues against the Highlanders at Eden Park.
"I am learning the role more. I am liking it now. I was not so sure at the start but I have learned a lot from Ants [Tuitavake], Dougie [Howlett], Lukey [McAlister] and Joe [Schmidt]," he said.
So why was he indecisive, he had played tests at centre for the All Blacks, hadn't he?
"Yeah, yeah," he said scratching at the ground with his running shoes.
"I just don't want to go there."
Did he not feel more assured with the experience he brought from several tours with the All Blacks, did he feel more prepared to play more tests?
"I dunno, dunno about that. I am just trying to focus on my job with the Blues and stuff like that."
But the Grand Slam trip and last year - those tours must have made him more comfortable.
"It was an honour but I dunno really. I am trying to leave all that behind me at the moment. It was a big job, I was pretty nervous, that's about it."
Does he think about making it to this year's World Cup?
"Nah, that is out of my mind. It is not that hard because my focus is on getting a start with the Blues and doing well this year."
As the Blues backline coach, it is Schmidt's role to nurture the young centre. Schmidt is laudatory about Toeava's talents and feels sorry for rivals who have to mark him.
"I am not sure he believes yet that he has got what he's got," Schmidt adds. "He has yet to show his full range of skills. That will come when he backs himself more."
The Blues felt Toeava would excel at centre, that position seemed the best for his mix of skills.
"We would like to see him get some more space," said Schmidt. "We think he is coming to his game and the sooner he gets there the better. He is young in the game and the fact that he has been an All Black is almost contradictory to the knowledge of what he needs to be doing. Working more on his preparation for games will help to optimise his performance."
Toeava hit 100kg for the first time this week and apart from a shoulder muscle strain against the Crusaders, his frame has held up well in the midfield jousting. He enjoyed the unusual freedom he got against the Reds last week but does not expect the Highlanders to be so generous tonight.
"I have been learning some patience, that is the biggest thing. I want to be calm under pressure because I can get excited and nervous."
