1
Ex-All Black sceptical of Folau Fakatava's inclusion in national squad ahead of long-serving veterans
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons says Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava may have to undergo an apprentice scheme before earning selection into Ian Foster’s squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fakatava has been a standout in Super Rugby Aotearoa this season, forming a strong partnership with co-captain and fellow halfback Aaron Smith in the Dunedin franchise’s matchday squad.
Regardless of whether he has started or featured off the bench, the 21-year-old has turned heads with his dynamic running game and abrasive defending as he begins to realise his highly-touted potential.
That has led to numerous calls for the youngster to be elevated into the All Blacks squad later this year as many view him as New Zealand’s long-term successor to Smith.
However, for all that Fakatava can offer, Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that he and the All Blacks may be better off by introducing him into the national squad in a non-playing capacity via an apprenticeship programme.
Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett toured with the All Blacks as apprentices in 2013 and 2016, respectively, with the aim of aiding their development and exposing them to the off-field requirements of a test player.
Parsons said a similar pathway could be used to slowly introduce Fakatava to international rugby, which would in turn, he added, allow other long-serving halfbacks an opportunity to break into the national squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s a tough one because I think Brad Weber has signed on and worked so hard to put himself right back in the mix,” the two-test hooker said.
“I think guys like [fellow panellist] Bryn [Hall] – I know he won’t like me saying this – but he’s worked really hard, he’s been in and around the environment, and his counterpart, Mitch Drummond, as well.
“There’s guys that have been in and around that scene and biding their time that probably deserve an opportunity or some opportunity in and around that All Blacks squad as well.
“I do like the apprenticeship style for someone like Folau Fakatava in the sense that the growth he’s had under Aaron Smith already, and we saw that development in the [Hawke’s Bay] Magpies.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We’re starting to really see it in the Highlanders, and I think we’ve seen the benefit it is for him as an individual and his play, so something like that, some exposure to that level in a slow burn, could be all the more beneficial for him.
“With the nature of the tests, there could be some opportunity for that in-house experience and then sending him back to some Mitre 10 Cup [NPC] or something like that. That could work really well.”
Ngani Laumape might be heading to France – but has the big midfielder really reached his potential in New Zealand just yet? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #AllBlackshttps://t.co/51SfSfm6D2
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 6, 2021
Parsons conceded that if Fakatava continued his rich vein of form, he could be too irresistible of a prospect for All Blacks boss Ian Foster to turn down.
However, he reaffirmed the likes of Weber, Hall and Drummond all deserved opportunities in the national squad as reward for their persistent loyalty to New Zealand rugby.
“If he keeps playing the way he’s playing, I think he’s knocking down the door for a genuine chance as well because he is playing some seriously good code.
“I don’t want his inexperience to play against him either because he’s playing good enough code to warrant selection as well, but I just don’t think we can look away from guys like Brad Weber, Bryn Hall and Mitch Drummond who have stayed around for an opportunity as well.”
Hall, who has never been capped by the All Blacks despite having played Super Rugby since 2013, admitted it was difficult for him to comment on the situation given he is in direct competition with Fakatava for a place in Foster’s squad.
In fact, the pair both started at halfback in the Highlanders’ shock 33-12 victory over the Crusaders in Christchurch last Friday, a match in which Fakatava flourished.
Nonetheless, Hall noted that those selected for the All Blacks should be picked on merit, and given the form Fakatava has shown this season, it might be too difficult to exclude him from the national set-up.
A pair of Super Rugby stars have weighed in on the debate on who should fill in for Sam Cane as All Blacks captain over the coming months. https://t.co/Rvp3IxJYd3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 7, 2021
“I think if we’re just looking at his performances at Super Rugby level – especially in a game like it was on the weekend against a team that’s filled with a lot of All Blacks, big-game players and probably a good benchmark for test level and being in that All Black environment, playing against a team of that calibre – he played well,” Hall said.
“You want to warrant [All Blacks selection] on performances and he played really well and has been playing well off the bench as well with Nuggy [Smith] in that apprenticeship.
“If you continue to keep playing like that, then you probably warrant selection if you’re playing consistently like that every single time.
“They’ve obviously had a lot of success around their apprenticeship programme. Jordie and Ardie have been through that process as well… It’s a slow burn to be able to bring them into the environment and get them to have a look at what it’s all about.
“Then again, if you consistently keep playing at a high level, then you’ve also got to have the conversation around warranted performances of being selected.
“He’s been in tremendous form and his growth has been the best thing that I’ve seen from him, especially in a game like it was on the weekend where it was against us.
“Again, I just thought his performances continue to keep getting better and that’ll be the main thing for him moving forward.”
Fakatava is in doubt for this weekend’s clash between the Highlanders and Chiefs in Dunedin as he awaits the results of a knee scan for an injury he picked up in the win over the Crusaders.
Hall, meanwhile, is set to face off against the Hurricanes in Wellington as he and his teammates look to maintain their place at the top of the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
Exeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
29 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
29 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
29 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
11 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
11 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
11 Go to comments