Anyone expecting Brad Weber to be adding to his one All Black cap is set to be disappointed when the team is announced later this season. The Chiefs halfback revealed that he’s had no contact with the All Black staff at all this season, despite feeling like he’s in the form of his life.
“Nah, nothing,” was his short answer when asked if he was in line to be recalled to the side four years after his only appearance against Manu Samoa in Apia.
While it’s not that unusual for a player to be playing out of their skin and still not being enough to turn selector’s heads, Weber’s case is unique in that he is keeping the man who will be picked on the Chiefs’ bench.
Chiefs teammate Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has all but confirmed the third halfback spot in the All Blacks, however has struggled to get any game time due to Weber’s form.
In addition to that, coach Colin Cooper has now made Weber captain until the end of the season. If that isn’t enough, Weber also played the entirety of the Chiefs’ 29-23 win over the Sharks last weekend, scoring the winning try.
Weber puts the prolific season down to consistency.
“That’s come about through experience. I’m finding it a lot easier to run a game as a leader, I knew I always had the skill-set, it was just putting it together.”
The captaincy is "not too bad", he said.
“I enjoy talking to the refs and not being told to shut up, which has been quite nice. We have a good leadership group so all I have to do is run the team out and talk to you fellas [the media].”
The Chiefs have had a challenging season, once again wracked with injuries and suffering a couple of shock losses.
However, they have bounced back to score a thrilling draw with the Highlanders and then the win over the Sharks to give their slender playoff hopes some life. They now have a must win game on Saturday night at Eden Park against the Blues, a team who Weber admits the Chiefs "won’t be lacking in motivation" to beat.
“Guys like [former Chiefs player and All Black] Liam Messam just drill it into you how much the team and people around here dislike the Blues region. It’s almost little brother/big brother, the Auckland and Waikato games have been massively fought, so we’re just carrying on that tradition.”
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