Cory Jane is rolling up his sleeves to fight for his All Blacks wing jersey.
The most scrutinised selection tussle ahead of Saturday's Test against England at Twickenham is out wide, where 30-year-old Jane made a sound return from injury on the right wing in their 26-19 win over France in Paris.
However, he was overshadowed by Test standout Charles Piutau, 22, on the opposite side of Stade de France, leaving Jane locked in a probable duel with Julian Savea this week.
Savea, 23, missed the tense French Test due to illness suffered earlier in the week but is fully fit and keen to add to his 16 Test tries in London.
Jane admits he wasn't at his sharpest during his 44th Test appearance but wasn't far off - an encouraging result considering his only other rugby this year was two domestic games for Wellington.
He feels the nine months of rehabilitation from ruptured knee ligaments has made him stronger mentally and he is ready to reclaim the jersey he made his own over the previous three seasons.
"I want to play every Test. When I made it the goal to go on the end of year tour, I just didn't want to go around and hold pads," he said.
"Competition's good. You can get complacent if you don't have that competition and I've done that in the past.
"I've got to work my way to get up there but, in saying that, they (Piutau and Savea) have got to work hard because I want to get up there."
Jane nearly made a spectacular return on Saturday when he dived acrobatically for the corner with his first touch.
He was denied a try when replays showed the ball dropped from his grasp at the last instant.
He says his most poignant memory of the Test came minutes earlier when he heard the national anthem.
"That was a special moment because it has been one hell of a year," he said.
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