Rugby: Messam reflects on important lessons

Liam Messam. Photo / Getty Images

Learning important lessons appears to have been a theme for Chiefs' loose forward Liam Messam recently.

There has been the loss to the Reds to mull over, his non-selection for the All Blacks' wider training squad - which he was notified of after the Brisbane defeat via a phone call from Steve Hansen - and then there was that road trip to Sydney.

Let's cover lesson number three first. He and Chiefs' teammate Sonny Bill Williams thought it would be a good idea to drive the 920km between Brisbane and Sydney so off they went, with Williams' manager Khoder Nasser along for the ride.

"They say you learn from your mistakes, that was one lesson we learned - to take a plane from Brisbane to Sydney," Messam joked today of the trip which took several days.

"We thought it would be quite good to see the Australian coastline but as most people would say, it's just pretty much motorway. It's a long drive, that's all I can say.

"They say it's not that far but it's 920km so I was counting down the kilometres slowly in my head."

The retelling of what for him was a surprisingly long and arduous journey proves the 28-year-old retains a sense of humour despite failing to make the cut for the 35-player All Blacks wider training squad for the Ireland tests. Messam, a nine-test All Black, wasn't picked for last year's World Cup squad either, and the selectors appear to have an eye on the future with their choice of uncapped loose forwards Luke Whitelock, Brad Shields and Sam Cane.

He said Hansen was reassuring during the phone call, up to a point.

"Shag gave me a ring after the Reds game and just explained to me what was going on. The door isn't fully closed so I've just got to focus on what I can do here with the brothers at the Chiefs.

"I've just got to take that on the chin and move forward. Looking at the bigger picture for us as a team is to win the Super title. I can't go out there and try to prove anything, I've just got to play my part for this team on Friday night."

Friday night's match against the Bulls in Hamilton is looming as a massive one for both teams. Both are at the right end of the Super Rugby table, the Chiefs in second place and the Bulls fourth following their rugged 16-11 defeat to the Highlanders in Dunedin.

The Chiefs had the luxury of a bye in the weekend which has allowed them to reflect on their defeat to the Reds, just their second of the season.

"I guess the loss against the Reds was a timely thing for us even though we don't like to lose. We took a lot of lessons out of that game and hopefully we can learn from those lessons and apply them for the Bulls game," said Messam, who will earn his 90th cap for the Chiefs, a franchise record, on Friday.

"We got to come in on Monday and re-evaluate where we are as a team and as individuals so we know we're a long way to getting to where we want to be. It was great timing of us. We took those lessons learned from not only the Reds game but other games and look forward to hopefully the final."

The loss of centre Richard Kahui against the Reds with a dislocated shoulder is a big blow. While Jackson Willison is an able replacement, the Chiefs didn't look the same once the All Blacks utility departed.

The Reds also exposed the Chiefs' defence around the ruck area which is something Dave Rennie's team will be keen to tighten. The Bulls possess very big forwards and someone like No8 and captain Pierre Spies will relish the chance to attack around the fringes.

"They're massive men. It's something that the forwards have talked about his week. It's exciting for us, we're looking forward to getting stuck in because that's the only way you can play the Bulls."