Liam Messam is now a regular starter for the All Blacks (Getty) © Getty Images

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Liam Messam says the days of needing reassurance about his rugby-playing ability are long behind him.

The tough All Blacks forward is arguably the form player in New Zealand rugby heading into Saturday's first Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Sydney.

The 29-year-old was named Man of the Match when his Chiefs beat the Brumbies to win a second successive Super Rugby final 10 days ago. He was at least as impressive a week earlier, when the Crusaders were lowered in the semi-finals by a Chiefs side inspired by the collision intensity of their long-serving blindside.

That performance was labelled among the best of Messam's career by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, who last year promoted the former fringe candidate to a regular starting berth. Such certainty has sent Messam's self-belief soaring.

"My motto is that I don't need people to convince me what I can and cannot do," he said. "I leave that up to me. I've learned that in the last couple of years."

Messam appreciated a week's break after the Chiefs triumph and says he is fizzing about rugby again ahead of his third start against the Wallabies. Hansen's axing of Victor Vito from the Rugby Championship indicates Messam's role is now unchallenged.

"Like most people, when you're here long enough you start to mature and take some responsibilities," Hansen said. "What the Chiefs are asking him to do is making him play more physically and he's just bringing that into this environment."

Messam's form will be important because of the uncertainty surrounding fellow-flanker Richie McCaw's condition. The All Blacks skipper has barely played since returning from a six-month break. However Messam is encouraged that McCaw recovered well from Friday's taxing warm-up match against provincial opponents.

"He was running around still full of beans after throwing his body on the line so he'll be good to go. He's always fit as a fiddle."