Māori All Blacks v Moana Pasifika: Was that Liam Messam’s last dance?

OPINION: Liam Messam did his best to say goodbye to the Māori All Blacks with a tryout at his favorite hunting ground on Saturday night.

It would have been a good angle: Number 8 Messam crashes into a wall of tacklers from Moana Pasifika to score a memorable 5 points during a 28-21 win at FMG Stadium Waikato. Or something like that.

It’s possible the rugby romantics squeezed their eyes tight and silently pleaded with the officials to ignore the TV replays, and it really was an open and shut case, throwing all the evidence down the drain and giving the player the points away. 36 years old.

No possibility. Messam had to rely on a double move to cross the white line, and that has always been a big no-no. A penalty was inevitable.

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To do anything less would have been a judicial error. Messam surely would not have wanted that.

The ex-All Blacks loose forward had lived long enough to know that he had to work for every inch of territory, especially when he pushed towards the line between a pile of bodies.

Everything worked out in the end. At 7-9 at halftime, the Maori All Blacks brought some heat to the attack in the second half and while Moana Pasifika’s replacement rower Dwyane Polataivao scored a late try, the result was not in doubt.

Before the start it was speculated that this would be Messam’s last game before retiring. The man himself has yet to confirm his plans, but indicated that this could, in fact, have been his swan song.

Although he represented Waikato in the 10 Miter Cup this year, having returned before playing offshore, Messam was not placed on a Super Rugby team.

Messam did not submit his name for selection. The last of his 179 games for the Chiefs was in 2018. He then went to France to play for Toulon, before returning home when Covid-19 struck.

If Messam decides to plant succulents in his rugby boots, and has said that he will not rush into any retirement decision, he can only hope that his intellectual property and passion for the game will not be lost.

Young professional rugby players, probably more than ever, need wise elders to guide them. That is not to say that NZ Rugby and the NZ Rugby Players Association do not do much for young men and women in the game. They do.

However, it is people like Messam who can offer a unique insight into what it takes to stay the course and not allow criticism or setbacks to melt childhood dreams of playing at the highest level.

He gave a glimpse of this recently, revealing that he thought former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen hated him. Hansen, then in his role as assistant to Sir Graham Henry, made Messam’s life difficult early in his career.

Messam could have ducked for cover and gone abroad where the money was good.

History shows that he stayed the course, racking up 43 test caps. I would have had more if Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read hadn’t been on the scene as well.

Messam, who missed the New Zealand tournament in 2011, was chosen for the World Cup in Great Britain in 2015, but the reality was that he was there as a substitute.

He made only one appearance, as a substitute in the 66th minute in group play against Tonga in Newcastle. The goal for the following year was to qualify for the NZ Sevens team to compete in the Rio Olympics.

Messam was not elected. More disappointment. He later said that it was harder than missing the World Cup team in 2011, but maintained that he has no regrets.

He made his best shot. Like he did when he tried to score his try against Moana Pasifika.

If Messam retires, it would be worth taking advantage of his knowledge. To do otherwise would be a waste.