Cory Jane's All Blacks star on rise

MAARTEN HOLL/Dominion Post

SOLO FLIGHT: Cory Jane on his way to scoring his first test try.

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Cory Jane has broken his duck, and you get the feeling there will plenty more test tries for a player who is making things happen on and off the field.

Jane, whose second child is due in two weeks, provided his firstborn, Cassius, with plenty of highlight reels to watch when he's older, turning out a brilliant individual performance in his eighth test against Australia on Saturday night.

Jane takes a fairly simple philosophy on to the field and revealed after the 33-6 win that the All Black backs had done the same after a season of frustrations.

Four staple back moves were cut to one for the last test of the Tri-Nations and the more simple formula unlocked their confidence.

"We just wanted to go out there and express ourselves and everyone seemed like they were up and really having fun. I think that's been missing this whole year where the boys would go out there and try and try, but the enjoyment factor wasn't quite there."

Jane spent the week rooming with Brad Thorn and said the big lock's positivity rubbed off in the hotel and on the field as he geed up his team-mates.

"We were patting each other on the back, geeing each other up and wanting to have a bit of fun with the ball.

"Instead of just talking we walked it as well."

Straight, direct angles replaced uncertain wide passes behind the advantage line and space finally opened up on the outsides.

Jane's first test try was a cracker on the half-hour mark. It came after a chase, a leap over Australian fullback James O'Connor, a juggle and a burst of speed, before he dotted down in the same spot he was denied a try three months ago against France.

"I was just trying to disrupt him, but a little bit of a tap and it ended up in my hand."

Subbed by Hosea Gear after 58 minutes when he strained his Achilles, then bruised his hand, Jane will be assessed in coming days but said neither injury was serious.

The try was not the only bright moment from the 26-year-old, or the All Blacks backs.

Jane sparked possibly the most exhilarating play of the year when he subtly wrapped around fullback Mils Muliaina early in the second spell to start a sweeping counter-attack.

Ma'a Nonu left five Wallabies in his wake to score a try that was as simple as it was brutal, cutting inside first-five Dan Carter to power 30 metres to the line.

Centre Isaia Toeava was dangerous all night, finally producing a mistake-free outing, bar a yellow card for a high tackle, at the highest level.

"He might finally be across the line," Henry said of a player variously called a "special project" and "gold nugget" by the selectors since his debut in 2005, but who has struggled for confidence.

Finally, Joe Rokocoko punctuated the night with his trademark dive on fulltime, his 45th test try taking him past Jeff Wilson and into third on the All Blacks' all-time list.

Whether it is enough to justify his continued selection in the test XV remains questionable though.

- © Fairfax NZ News