How Dave Rennie will measure Timoci Tavatavanawai's success in Sydney

Timoci Tavatavanwai has been given a long-awaited opportunity in the black jersey in Saturday’s Wallabies showdown in Sydney, and he has some boxes to tick if his performance is to impress Dave Rennie.

Last week the coach hinted that a selection could come the Highlanders star’s way this week, and with more injuries troubling All Blacks camp, there was indeed room for Tavatavanawai to make his way into the matchday 23 for Bledisloe II.

The 28-year-old finished the Super Rugby Pacific season tied with Quinn Tupaea for the most Player of the Year votes, only losing out on a tiebreaker. That effort wasn’t enough to earn favour with Rennie, though, as Tavatavanawai missed selection for the first All Blacks squad of the year.

Recalled to an expanded Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry squad, the powerful two-Test midfielder made his mark with two impact performances against the Sharks and Bulls before starting against the Lions, delivering a destructive performance with the ball in hand.

But with Jordie Barrett and Tupaea excelling as New Zealand’s preferred midfield partnership, and Rennie still harbouring fitness doubts, Tavatavanawai has had to bide his time, working on his craft to earn his next opportunity in the Test arena. That opportunity has finally arrived.

Speaking on the selection in Sydney on Thursday afternoon, Rennie said: “It’s cool. Obviously, with Leroy (Carter’s) injury, Josh (Moorby) comes into the starting lineup, and we can use Rieko (Ioane) as a wing; he was predominantly covering midfield last week, and so Big Jim (Tavatavanawai) comes in. Look, he’s been great in the environment. He’s got a real point of difference. We think he can offer a massive impact off the bench.”

The coach went on to explain what he’s looking for from ‘Big Jim’ at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

“I think to be fair, during Super Rugby, he was a fair way off from a conditioning perspective, and he had a few niggles and battled through that, and so we didn’t pick him initially. We took him to South Africa because we felt that for him to make the World Cup, he’s better to be in the tent with us, trying to make shifts and giving him an understanding of what’s going to be important if he wants to play for the All Blacks.

“And so he was great on tour. He’s made good shifts. We want to see evidence of that on the weekend when he comes on. But as you know, if you just watch the screen, any time he’s anywhere near the ball, he’s a menace. Carry, tackle, post-tackle. So, it will be good to see plenty of that, and then the work ethic to go with that.”