The People's Choice

Brad Weber wasn’t considered among the top five halfbacks in New Zealand at the end of last year and now he’s on the verge of going to the world cup with the all blacks.

Brad Weber was on the couch with his flatmates not quite sure whether to be hopeful, nervous or confident as New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey read out the names of the first All Blacks squad of 2019.

Anyone who had even loosely followed the Chiefs throughout their topsy-turvy campaign would have been rooting for Weber’s name to be called.

By the end of Super Rugby he was unquestionably the people’s choice as the nation’s third halfback.

His performances had been quite spectacular, largely because of his passion, obvious desire to be involved and quite incredible ability to be influential. Weber at times was the only thing standing between the Chiefs and oblivion. He seemed to carry the whole team on his back in some games and he simply refused to ever accept he was beaten.

All season he kept making these impossible support runs where he’d somehow be the first man on the line breaker’s shoulder no matter how far he had to travel to get there.

He had this insatiable energy that saw him at the heart of everything the Chiefs did and while no one was sitting back and comparing him with Aaron Smith and suggesting he could replicate the Highlanders’ halfback’s passing game, they were wondering what Weber might be able to do should he be injected into the last 20 minutes of a test match.

Weber wasn’t selling a traditional halfback portfolio but the All Blacks would surely still be mad if they weren’t looking to buy what he was offering – which was a world class running game, smart kicking and tactical direction.

He had made what could only be described as an irresistible case for selection and yet, like everyone else couldn’t be sure he would be fairly rewarded as it hadn’t happened the year before.