The rise of Chiefs flanker Liam Messam in the All Black ranks, is due to him no longer being a liability at test match level says All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
Messam will start at blindside for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies in Sydney pushing Victor Vito into the reserves and Adam Thomson out of the playing squad.
Hansen says Messam's eradicated flaws in his game found the consistency the All Blacks selectors wanted to see.
His defence has improved and Hansen says previously Messam may have done one or two brillant things on the field only to let himself down by some silly mistakes.
But Hansen says Messam's now matured and his whole game is spot on.
