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Chiefs back Stevenson talked up for All Blacks honours

rugby10 March 2023 22:30| © AFP
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Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson has been touted by his coach as a genuine All Blacks World Cup prospect after another starring display for the Super Rugby Pacific leaders.

The strapping Stevenson crossed twice in Friday's 28-7 win over the Highlanders in Hamilton to take his competition-high try tally to five after just three games.

With the makeup of this year's All Blacks outside backs far from obvious, McMillan suggests 26-year-old Stevenson will have attracted the attention of national coach Ian Foster.

"You'd have to say he's doing a lot of good things that must be raising the eyebrows of Fozzie (Foster) and his crew," McMillan told journalists.

"I don't think the World Cup squad is written in stone so anyone who plays consistently well puts themselves in the shop window."

A late bloomer for an outside back, the uncapped Stevenson's form for the Chiefs follows some electric performances at higher levels last year.

His balanced running and line breaks stood out for the Maori All Blacks in midweek games against the touring Ireland.

He scored two memorable tries when a second-string New Zealand XV outclassed Ireland A in Dublin in November.

McMillan said self-belief had lifted the 1.90m, 100kg back to a new level, eight years after he made his first class debut.

"It's well documented he's had a fantastic last six or seven months," the coach said.

"His confidence is high. We're seeing him getting involved in a lot and his finishing has been second to none. Long may that continue."

The Chiefs are guaranteed to be top of the Super Rugby Pacific table when round three is completed on Saturday, having secured bonus points in winning all three games.

Likewise, the Highlanders can't be usurped from the bottom of the standings after a third heavy defeat.

There was an upset in an all-Australian match on Friday night, when the Melbourne Rebels beat the New South Wales Waratahs 34-27 at home to notch their first win of the season.

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