Chiefs striker's long road from debut night nerves to cracking the half century
Just where the last 50-matches went is an intriguing question for talented Chiefs utility Shaun Stevenson.
It seems like only yesterday that a fresh-faced Stevenson first brought out the Happy Gilmour post-try celebration.
The 23-year old is still far from the finished product and has some work to do to be a real All Blacks threat, but recent signs say that the Chiefs utility may be approaching something near career-best form.
That can only be an exciting prospect for the Chiefs given Stevenson is locked in for another three years. There is time and opportunity ahead, but to say Stevenson’s ride since making his Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders hasn’t been smooth would be something of a kind description.
That evening in 2016, Stevenson was so nervous that he became sick just moments before running out of the dressing room. It would turn out to be a night of mixed fortune for the then 19-year old, scoring a try to calm his nerves before a shoulder injury struck, resulting in a long wait for the next opportunity.
One All Black returns to the starting lineup for the Chiefs – but there's still one missing from the match-day 23 altogether. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvBLUhttps://t.co/nP0NFlnhOJ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 18, 2020
In many ways, Stevenson’s debut encapsulated the journey that the then 19-year old would forge in Super Rugby.
Stevenson had been fast-tracked into the Chiefs environment due to injuries to other outside backs that year but his impressive showings for Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup had already shown all onlookers his potential.
Dazzling footwork, uncanny strength, and an ability to pop into places on attack that catches defenders off guard are the core skills that make Stevenson a natural fit for the Chiefs but it’s his ability to finish close to the try line which makes him a hard player to keep out of any match-day XV.
When firing at his best, Stevenson is one of the most exciting players to watch in Super Rugby. His range of talents were on full display at the 2017 Brisbane Global Tens tournament where Stevenson was named MVP in the victorious Chiefs squad, with his try in the final just one example of how good Stevenson had been that weekend in his first real performance of note on the international stage.
Since then, Stevenson has gone on to perform for the Maori All Blacks and has become somewhat of a Mr Reliable for the Chiefs in the past year or two.
Able to play at both fullback and on the wing, Stevenson has regularly been called on to adapt to different positions in his time with the Chiefs.
During the much-discussed move of Damian McKenzie to first five during the Colin Cooper coaching era, Stevenson would regularly switch with Solomon Alaimalo and Sean Wainui to take up position at fullback or on either wing.
Results were mixed, but the potential was always there to see. Earlier in 2020, Stevenson talked of a renewed sense of understanding about using his voice as a core leader in the team, something that wasn’t always natural or comfortable.
“I’ve been in the Chiefs for a while so I need to be a big voice, both from the outside and also when playing in that back three,” Stevenson said.
“Rugby is always a challenging game and the mental side of things is crucial but you’ve also got to play in the moment and do each task as it comes. I’m enjoying myself, it’s a good environment so I try to come in every day with a smile on my face.”
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Widely seen as a quality player of the future, the challenge for Stevenson was to be a quality player for the now.
That challenge wasn’t always met in the manner Chiefs coaches would’ve liked, leaving Stevenson missing selection completely or facing the prospect of turning out for development sides, both of which have happened at various times over the past couple of years.
Injuries in between and staunch competition from others in the Chiefs backline all made for one certain reality for Stevenson – make every playing opportunity count and do that by getting involved with ball in hand.
When Stevenson does that, fortunes tend to favour the Chiefs when close to the try line or in need of a line break to spark an attack. Stevenson showed such qualities in the Chiefs’ first hit out in Super Rugby Aotearoa against the Highlanders, despite the narrow loss, being the second-best ball carrier and executing on all but one of his tackles attempted with a couple of line breaks and one near miss on the try line.
Stevenson will start on the right wing in his 50th when the Chiefs run out to an expected strong crowd in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments