OPINION: It turns out Julian Savea is more like Jonah Lomu than we ever imagined.

Savea's size, destructive running and remarkable try-scoring ability have drawn increased comparisons to the late, great Lomu as his All Blacks career has rapidly evolved.

Now we can add fitness and form struggles to the list of similarities.

Phil Walter/Getty Images Julian Savea faces hard work off the field to get back into the All Blacks' first XV.

Lomu, for all his huge assets, was often a headache to his coaches, particularly at the start of the season.

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ALLSPORT Jonah Lomu - All Blacks great.

Laurie Mains and All Blacks coaches that followed him were frustrated at Lomu's sluggish approach at times.

Often they were inclined to turn a blind eye given the considerable deeds Lomu was capable of.

Mains had already been through something similar with another wonder wing in the form of Inga Tuigamala, who would score tries other fitter players couldn't, simply through his natural talent.

Dan Mullan/ Getty Images Julian Savea kisses the Webb Ellis Cup after the All Blacks won the 2015 Rugby World Cup final.

It turned out Lomu had a deadly reason at the root of his problems in the form of a rare kidney disease that would eventually contribute to his premature death.

Nothing has been revealed to suggest Savea's struggles are related to anything as medically sinister. Thank goodness for that. But they are equally frustrating. And it seems patience has run out.

It's hard to argue with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen taking the "tough love" approach and cutting Savea from his team.

It's not like he hasn't been cut some slack before. Last year he was put on a special conditioning programme by the All Blacks after Super Rugby and missed tests against Samoa, Argentina and South Africa.

Thankfully the hard work paid off and he came right when it mattered most – at the World Cup where he ended a try drought that lasted almost a year and really flourished in the playoffs.

Even this year Savea was given a rocket by his Hurricanes bosses who were clearly concerned at his shape and form after the summer layoff. That warning shot appears to have flown over his bow without the big fella taking notice.

Now he's discovered again the hard way that big reputations count for little when a team is carrying the mantle of world champions.

Savea has let himself down. And he's let his team down.

One game into the test season and there's a significant and unnecessary shuffle of the back three.

With their current resources, this isn't as simple as replacing one man.

Hansen has been forced to move Ben Smith, the world's best fullback to the right wing to accommodate Israel Dagg in the No 15 jersey. Regular right wing Waisake Naholo has been forced to the other side of the field to have Smith play in the No 14 jersey.

Savea has played a risky game here and been caught out early with his axing.

The risks continue.

He's a specialist wing who commands no place on the bench so it's either No 11 or his number ones on game day.

And now he's given a player who has shown a quality he appears to be lacking – desperation – come into the mix. That player is Dagg.

Cruelly dropped from the World Cup mix because of a surplus of talent in the outside backs, Dagg put his head down and worked hard, showing enough form for the Crusaders this year to demand a recall.

Dagg's return to the All Blacks starting XV has come far quicker than even he could have hoped for.

The intrigue now is how this back three fires against a Welsh side already on the ropes after losing a warm-up match against England, the opening test against New Zealand, and then a midweek fixture to the Chiefs.

They are there for the taking and if the All Blacks fire, the outside backs will be the ones to profit.

If the new combination clicks, Savea could be out in the cold for a bit more of the winter, waiting to see when Hansen warms to him again.

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