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After four years, Asafo Aumua has finally earned his All Blacks start
Asafo Aumua made his first appearance for the All Blacks in a 31-22 win over the Barbarians on the 2017 end of year tour. Almost four years later, the wrecking ball is finally set for his run-on debut.
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Aumua, who had originally been selected as an apprentice and wasn’t necessarily expected to earn any minutes, clocked up one further appearance on that tour. He was recalled into the All Blacks in 2019 ahead of the Rugby World Cup but never took the field, and earned one more cap off the bench last year.
2021 loomed as the first opportunity for Aumua to really start to accrue some minutes in the black jersey, as the nation’s third-best hooker, but ahead knock suffered against Tonga in the opening match of the international season meant he was set for a short stint on the sidelines, with Samisoni Taukei’aho called into the All Blacks as injury cover.
Taukei’aho has looked every bit a test-level hooker since earning his first cap against Fiji in late July – and that’s presented a new challenge for Aumua.
“Samisoni, I think, has been outstanding in his introduction to test rugby,” said Ian Foster on Friday after naming Aumua in the starting role and Taukei’aho as bench cover. “Certainly, he’s made every post a winner, the way he’s played.”
Now, however, is the right time for Aumua to prove his credentials, Foster said.
“I just felt, for Asafo, he’s been out for quite a while but he’s done a lot of training and he’s really confident in his body now and he knows the systems.
“I think, in some ways it’s just getting a read on and it gives him a full week to really just get calm and do what he needs to do so we’ve erred on that side. I think it’s just reward for him and [this game] gives him the best chance to succeed.”
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Aumua’s knock – coupled with a niggly calf injury for Dane Coles – has seen Taukei’aho clock up five straight bench appearances for the All Blacks.
Sunday’s match with Argentina presents as the perfect opportunity for Aumua to remind the selectors – and the world – what the barnstorming hooker is capable of.
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“It’s his first start and he’s jumping out of his skin,” Foster said. “He had an unfortunate July series where through injury he wasn’t able to get [many minutes] on the park. We said we wanted to get him back into NPC to give him a few runs on the board and we got one, but we couldn’t get anymore, unfortunately.
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“He’s ready to go. He was ready to go last week, he was disappointed he wasn’t in the group last week but I think we made a decision to go with the most recent battle-hardened players last week, so this is his time and really excited about how he’s going.
“He might take a little while to get used to it. It’s not easy in your first test start and you’re playing against a team that probably scrums differently to what he’d be used to and there’d be a lot of pressure at lineout time. He’s a quality young man and it’ll be a great experience for him.”
The 24-year-old first burst onto the scene when he scored seven tries over two seasons with the New Zealand Under 20 side in 2016 and 2017.
Sunday’s match with Argentina kicks off at 5:05pm AEST from Australia’s Gold Coast, before the Wallabies take on the Springboks at the same venue in the first of four Rugby Championship double-headers.
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
2 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments