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All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has admitted that Brad Shields was likely to receive the call for his national side this year.
The Hurricanes captain was named in Eddie Jones’ England squad ahead of their upcoming three-test series against South Africa. Loose forward Shields qualifies for England through his ancestry and will head north to join Aviva Premiership side Wasps in Coventry at the conclusion of the Super Rugby season.
The All Blacks squad to take on France next month was named Sunday and features two new loose forwards.
“It is obviously one of those positions…he probably would have made this team this year,” Hansen told Newstalk ZB when asked about Shields’ standing in the All Blacks pecking order.
“I wish him all the best…he wants to play test rugby, he obviously didn’t see a future here.
“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 someone 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.”
Despite switching his allegiance to England, 27-year-old Shields still faced a crowded back-row filled with the likes of Billy Vunipola, Chris Robshaw, Sam Simmonds and 19-year-old Tom Curry.
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Both England and New Zealand will play the first tests of their respective series’ on June 9th.
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