New Zealand
Liam Messam relaxed about All Blacks hopes
August 21, 2015

Liam Messam is relaxed about his chances of being selected for the All Blacks' 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign.

The Waikato and Chiefs back-rower was dropped four years ago, when New Zealand hosted and won the tournament, and he is vying once again with Jerome Kaino and Victor Vito for inclusion in the squad to go to England. But Messam shows no concerns as he prepares to put on the Waikato jersey for the 85th time when they play Manawatu in an ITM Cup game in Palmerston North on Saturday.

"I've just got to go out there and enjoy my footie," he told NZ Newswire. "I know there is a lot of talk and rumours about selection. But hopefully I have done what I needed to do during the whole year and not left it down to this one game for Waikato."

Nor does the blindside flanker believe his involvement in the Bledisloe Cup brawl between the All Blacks and Wallabies will affect his selection chance. Messam, who was a "water boy", ran on to the field following an altercation between Ma'a Nonu and Stephen Moore, and SANZAR issued the All Blacks' team management with a breach notice resulting in a $NZ2000 fine.

Messam who has been linked with Toshiba to play in the Japanese Top League after the World Cup, might have to change his plans after committing to the All Blacks Sevens for the 2015-2016 HSBC Sevens World Series and the Olympic Games.

"Maybe I'll still go there but we will see what happens. Right now I'm just focusing on the World Cup."

© AAP

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