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All Blacks still waiting to unleash 'young Brodie Retallick'
The All Blacks won’t be rushed into selecting 21-year-old locking sensation Tupou Vaa’i to run out against the Wallabies this weekend – but forwards coach John Plumtree has suggested that the second-rower has a massive future in the black jersey.
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Vaa’i, who made his test debut last year after a run of injuries to more experienced options ahead of him in the queue, is yet to have an opportunity to don the black jersey in 2021. The young Chief was the sole member of the All Blacks’ July squad to not accrue any minutes against Tonga or Fiji, while the selectors opted for close to a first-choice lineup in both their Bledisloe clashes against the Wallabies.
With Sam Whitelock remaining in New Zealand while the rest of the team travelled to Australia for the final Bledisloe Cup match in Perth, Vaa’i is now one of just four second-rowers in the squad.
Ahead of him, however, is the experienced trio of Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu – all three of who are also in need of some minutes under the belt, given the relative disruptions of recent weeks, and the understandable preference for the All Blacks to field interim captain Whitelock in the second row in all but one match this year.
With Whitelock out of action this weekend, as well as regular halves pairing Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga, the All Blacks will be bolstering new captain Ardie Savea with as many experienced players around him as possible, and that doesn’t bode well for Vaa’i.
But, while the 21-year-old may not have the opportunity to run out against the Wallabies on Sunday, All Blacks forward coach Plumtree is confident that Vaa’i will still have a big role to play on this epic 10-game tour – and likely sooner rather than later.
“We’ve only got four locks on this trip and it takes one lock to go down and then bang, he’s in,” Plumtree said on Wednesday. “If you look at seniority, the other three are ahead of him, yes, but Tups has been with us through the Steinlager series. He was training with us the whole time and we were leaking him back to play for Taranaki, which was great for him, getting some game time.”
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Vaa’i featured twice for Taranaki in the NPC, helping the side to handy victories over Hawke’s Bay and Northland, before the season was postponed due to New Zealand’s latest Covid outbreak.
Plumtree was complimentary of Vaa’i’s form but also suggested that we’re certainly yet to see the best of the hulking lock, who really came out of nowhere last year to thrust his way into the national selection frame.
“He looks fit and strong and we’re really excited about him and what he can bring to the All Blacks,” Plumtree said.
They may not be lining up alongside one another this weekend, but there's no doubting that Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock are the formative lock pairing in world rugby right now. #AllBlacks #AUSvNZL
?? @TheChaseRugbyhttps://t.co/2WCMsqqTKN
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) September 2, 2021
“He’s probably one of the best natural locks I’ve seen in terms of playing around the park. He’s like a Brodie Retallick, a young Brodie Retallick around [how] he can play with ball [in hand], what his feet are like before contact. He’s getting tougher all the time and the set-piece work is getting better. He’s been under some good coaching at the Chiefs so really, really impressed with him.”
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The upcoming tests against Argentina loom as Vaa’i’s best shot for some game time before the trip to the USA, with the All Blacks likely to call on their top trio for this weekend’s game against the Wallabies, as well as the two upcoming grudge matches with the Springboks.
The All Blacks will name their side to take on the Wallabies on Friday afternoon.
Comments on RugbyPass
Says much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
2 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
23 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
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