Charlie Faumuina's try at Twickeham created plenty of controversy after full-time © Getty Images

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Charlie Faumuina has laughed off reports he is leaving for France, saying he feels more committed than ever to the All Blacks jersey.

Skilful prop Faumuina had signed to play for French club Racing Metro after the World Cup, according to newspaper Midi Olympique, which also said veteran All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu had inked a deal with Toulon. Nonu hasn't commented on the report, but a light-hearted Faumuina said on Tuesday he was taken by surprise.

"It'd be awesome to get some kind of contact for me but there was nothing there," he said. "I think it was just someone writing some stuff."

Blues tighthead Faumuina scored his first try in 25 Tests late in New Zealand's 24-21 win over England on Saturday. It was just reward for a season of considerable improvement from the 27-year-old who was delivered a sharp critique by coach Steve Hansen when dropped from the team 10 weeks ago. Having come off the bench in four of the first five Tests of the year, Faumuina was omitted from the 23 to face Argentina in Napier, with Hansen telling journalists his fitness and scrummaging had both dropped away.

"Shag and the coaches put a challenge in front of me," he said. "They asked if I still wanted to be here and if I did then I had to show them." Faumuina admits his dietary discipline had slipped, but that was part of a general lack of fizz in his approach. "I just got too comfortable and when things get comfortable, you don't sacrifice things enough and you don't push hard enough at training."

Faumuina missed three Tests in the middle of the year, but his hard work reaped rewards when returned to the bench in the loss to South Africa in Johannesburg courtesy of an injury to Wyatt Crockett.

Faumuina appeared in some pain at training in Edinburgh on Tuesday, but said it was back tightness which shouldn't be an ongoing problem. A starting spot against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday can't be ruled out, particularly as first-choice tighthead Owen Franks has played in every Test this year.