New Zealand wing Sevu Reece has lit up Rugby World Cup… but it could have been different

Reece had a contract signed with the Irish province and was all set to leave New Zealand which would have rendered him ineligible for the All Blacks. But the IRFU backed out of it after a domestic violence case involving the Fiji-born flier a year ago.

“For us, it was the right decision,” said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne at the time.

“At the end of the day, we have values and you either stand by your values or you don’t.”

Reece remained in New Zealand to face justice – he was fined NZ $750 after the drunken attack on his partner in a Hamilton street and given a discharge without conviction.

He vowed to stop drinking and set about rebuilding his reputation and career.

At the time he was struggling to break through at the Chiefs but a call-up into the Crusaders squad as cover earlier this year changed everything.

He finished the season as Super Rugby’s top try scorer and earned a call-up to the All Blacks for the Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Buenos Aires in July.

Given his personal history it was not without controversy. New Zealand coach Steve Hansen, a former policeman, defended his selection.

He said: “When you look at this particular case, rather than asking the question: ‘why has rugby brought Sev in and looked after him?’, the question I’d ask is: ‘what would happen if we didn’t?’” he said.

The All Blacks is no benevolent organisation of course. Hansen knew he had a potential blind-side bolter to rival Nehe Milner-Skudder who was such a hit at the 2015 tournament.

He put his faith in Reece and the 22-year-old has paid him back handsomely with four tries in his six Tests so far.

He has been outstanding at this World Cup along with fellow rookie wing George Bridge. So much so that the prolific Rieko Ioane again cannot get a look-in today.

“He has springboarded himself purely through form and athleticism into the the All Blacks frame ahead of some freaks of nature like Rieko Ioane. That’s an incredible tip of the hat to a guy like Sevu,” said Hansen.

For England it will be a first sight of New Zealand’s latest wing wonder although not for Anthony Watson.

The pair played against each other in the 2017 Lions tour opener in Whangarei when Reece was the youngest member of the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians side.

source: express.co.uk