All Blacks coach Foster may have Kieran Read's replacement in 22-year-old Mikaele-Tu'u
Few departing rugby players leave as big of a hole in their team as the one created by Kieran Read’s retirement from international rugby last year and could the Highlanders‘ Marino Makaele-Tu’u be the man to fill it for the All Blacks?
Following the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, Read decided to call time on his international career and has since made the move to Japan and joined up with former All Blacks coaches Steve Hansen and Simon Cron. He left with 128 All Blacks caps to his name, placing him behind just Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu in the all-time list of caps, whilst he also put together over 150 appearances in a 12-year career at the Crusaders.
Read was an integral part of the Rugby World Cup-winning New Zealand sides of 2011 and 2015, contributing not only as an effective ball-carrier, but also as a ruthlessly efficient lineout option and an extraordinarily successful captain. His stranglehold on the No 8 jersey and consistency when wearing it has seen few challengers to usurp his mantle as the stabilising force at the base of the All Black scrum.
Time inevitably passes, though, and New Zealand coach Ian Foster has to find a successor capable of filling those sizeable boots left by the 34-year-old.
Sam Cane has been made captain of the side and slots in as the team’s openside, whilst Ardie Savea is pencilled in for a role, whether that is on the blindside or providing significant impact off of the bench. Savea has been used fleetingly at No 8 in international rugby, most recently against Namibia at the Rugby World Cup, though he has always been preferred as a flank by former head coach Hansen.
Chiefs back rower Luke Jacobson has recently been brought into the All Blacks mix and physically matches up relatively well with the height, weight and mobility that Read brought to the position, though like Savea, he is generally preferred on the flank at club and international levels. The same generally goes for blindside Shannon Frizell, with the Highlander adding an appetising lineout option to whatever back row he is part of.
In terms of the more specialist options at the position available to Foster, Highlanders No 8 Mikaele-Tu’u put on a show in the Super Rugby Aotearoa opener in Dunedin on Saturday. The Hawke’s Bay man was abrasive at the contact area and was frequently able to get over the gain-line as a ball-carrier and get his side moving forward. If Foster hadn’t been looking before, he certainly will be now.
At just 22 years of age, there is plenty of growth left in Mikaele-Tu’u, as well, and if combined with Cane at openside and an adept lineout option on the blindside, wouldn’t detract from the adaptability and all-round strength of the All Black back row over the last decade. He picked up the man of the match award against the Chiefs on Saturday and was fully deserving of the accolade.
His opposite number in that game, Pita Gus Sowakula, was also impressive, and the former Fijian basketball player is a wildcard to take on the role moving forward. If he could be convinced to commit his future to New Zealand rather than Fiji, he would offer a length and comfort with the ball in hand that would be unrivalled amongst New Zealand’s current No 8 options.
At the Hurricanes, one-time capped All Black Gareth Evans is another potential candidate, with the 28-year-old having shown his consistency and impact at the Super Rugby level with both the ‘Canes and Highlanders, for a number of years now. Foster will know that Evans could do a job for him in international rugby, although if the goal is to find a long-term replacement for Read, his search to find competition for Mikaele-Tu’u and Sowakula should take him to the rebuilding Blues.
Akira Ioane is arguably the most heralded of the options available to Foster, with the Tokyo-born loose forward having previously dominated in age-grade rugby and he was swiftly moved up into senior contention at the Auckland-based franchise. He was able to flash his ability early with the Blues, though he did struggle to consistently string together effective performances earlier in his 20’s.
Now, with four full Super Rugby seasons under his belt, Ioane is a far more effective performer week after week, he has an All Blacks cap to his name and he matches up physically with Read as closely as any of the players mentioned here. He does not boast Read’s same mastery of the lineout yet, though he offers plenty as a ball-carrier both close to the ruck and in the wide channels. He has become a much more rounded player over the last 18 months.
The atmosphere in Dunedin for the opening game of #SuperRugbyAotearoa was insane! #Highlanders #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/VFozJysA0A
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Ioane has a significant rival in Auckland, let alone the All Blacks, however, with the 21-year-old Hoskins Sotutu enjoying a breakout campaign at the Super Rugby level. The versatile back row has looked comfortable at No 8 at the pinnacle of domestic rugby in the country and throws his name into the mix for Foster to consider, should he, like Sowakula, be willing to cut ties with Fiji in order to represent New Zealand.
New Fiji head coach Vern Cotter will be doing his best to persuade both Sowakula and Sotutu to get onboard with his vision for Fijian rugby, but with limited opportunities domestically in New Zealand should they commit to Fiji, it will be a tough sell for Cotter. The lure of the black jersey is strong in terms of tradition and earning potential in New Zealand.
Given the domineering hold that Read has had on the jersey over the past decade, Foster has to be relatively happy with the options that are available to him moving forward, even if there is a complete lack of international experience on offer outside of switching Savea to a role at the base of the scrum.
A last-minute drop goal from Bryn Gatland has secured a dramatic win for the Highlanders against the much fancied Chiefs in Dunedin.https://t.co/EKX8tqhkTt
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Evans and Ioane offer Super Rugby experience and have both donned the silver fern already, Mikaele-Tu’u and Sotutu are younger but offer salivating potential and longevity at the position, whilst Sowakula is the wildcard, bringing the basketball and Fijian flair in equal measure.
Mikaele-Tu’u has taken an early lead in the race thanks game-winning performance he put in at Forsyth Barr Stadium and though not as highly-touted coming through as some of his rivals, the former New Zealand U20 is showing sizeable strides in his post-age-grade development.
Thankfully for Foster, he has nine more weeks of watching these talented players go head-to-head with one another as they duke it out to be the first to be given the opportunity to fill the void left by Read.
Comments on RugbyPass
The pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
5 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
5 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
5 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
5 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
5 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to comments