It was in the dying stages of last weekend’s win over Japan in Tokyo that Charles Piutau saw what it meant to be an All Black.

Up 54-6 as the clock counted down and Japan pressed for a try, captain Richie McCaw caught the eye of the young wing.

“We were defending for quite a long time and I just noticed he was making tackles and getting back up.

“For me, you hear so much and you see so much, but to actually be alongside him, I definitely felt his presence.”

Piutau’s burgeoning Test career takes a sizeable step against France in Paris on Saturday where he will play his ninth Test and third successive start.

For McCaw, 32, it will be Test No.122 and Piutau says the influence of the man 10 years his senior had helped hugely in his surprisingly quick adjustment to the international game.

The pair are at opposite ends of the experience spectrum in a New Zealand starting 15 which is the most capped in the history of Test rugby.

A scintillating runner and strong defender for his relatively small frame, Piutau puts his ascension down to old fashioned virtues.

“Growing up I wasn’t always the most talented kid but I always tried to work hard.

“Obviously if I want to stay here, so it’s something I have to keep on doing. You see it in every single player here.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says Piutau has overtaken veteran Cory Jane as a first-choice Test wing, although Jane gets his chance to return from knee and hamstring injuries against France after Julian Savea was ruled out by illness.

Hansen said it was hard to truly gauge Piutau’s Test ability after making his first six appearances off the bench.

However, his mind was made up after the 22-year-old started against the Wallabies in Dunedin and Japan.

“Charles has taken off, hasn’t he?

“His game against Australia was right up there, he looked comfortable. He seems to be a natural.”