Five Future Stars Of New Zealand Rugby To Watch For This Season
With Super Rugby’s pre-season match programme kicking off this week, Scotty Stevenson looks into the squads to reveal some lesser-known lights who could make their mark on the competition this season.
Sio Tomkinson – Highlanders
You don’t need to be a madly passionate Highlanders fan (is there any other kind?) to know this team is well catered for in terms of midfield talent. Richard Buckman returns after sitting out 2016, All Black Malakai Fekitoa is a natural first-choice centre, Jason Emery has plenty of miles on the clock and Rob Thompson and Tei Walden both return for another season. Matt Faddes, who was thrust into the side last year as a handy provincial utility and who by the end of the season was the club’s rookie and player of the season, will be keen to prove 2016 was no fluke.
Into this mix comes a 20-year old Otago centre called Sio Tomkinson, who featured in the Highlanders wider training group last season but is yet to be capped for the club. It is only a matter of time. Tony Brown promoted Tomkinson – who has represented New Zealand at Schools and Under-20 level – to the full-time roster this season, and we doubt he will spend another entire year watching from the sidelines. If you want to know what excites us about this kid, have a look at him line up Sam Cane in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup.
https://youtu.be/1Tnbr_eNztY
Solomon Alaimalo – Chiefs
Northland may be the perennial strugglers of the provincial competition in New Zealand but while team highlights were few and far between in 2016, fullback Solomon Alaimalo put together a handy individual reel that saw him finish in the top 20 in all the key running stats – metres gained, clean breaks and defenders beaten.
It was no surprise that he was handed a contract by the Chiefs at the end of the season – not because the club has a shortage of outside backs, but because it has a history of those outside backs suffering injuries. Consider this: James Lowe, Shaun Stevenson, Sam McNichol, Toni Pulu, Tim Nanai-Williams and Glen Fisiiahi would all have the jump on Alaimalo in terms of experience or position on the pecking order, but not a single one of them has come through a season without time on the medic’s table.
Whether that is down to the combative style of play that the Chiefs have adopted, or the rigours of a tough training workload or just dumb luck, no team has required more outside back cover in the last five seasons. Alaimalo may be a rookie, but odds are he’ll get a shot this year.
George Bridge – Crusaders
Nemani Nadolo has left the building, and Super Rugby, which is tragic news for Crusaders fans but great news for Matt Duffie. Nadolo was the go-to winger for the Crusaders last season, and given this is a club that loves to stick to the game plan, they have wasted no time in searching high and low for a Fijian winger to replace him.
Manasa Mataele may not be Nemani Nadolo, but at least the presence of a Fijian winger in the Crusaders side (Jone Macilai is still there too) makes everyone feel normal. That said, it may be another youngster who steals the march on both of them. George Bridge has been signed for the season and given his history playing for both Canterbury and the NZ under-20 side under coach Scott Robertson, expect him to be given a chance to shine at franchise level.
Bridge is not a power winger in the Vunibaka/Nadolo style, but the 21-year old knows his way to the try line. He scored five tries in eight appearances in Canterbury’s championship run last year and, perhaps even more impressively, made 43 tackles with a 92% success rate.
With both Nadolo and Johnny McNicholl having left the club at the end of the 2016 season, the Crusaders don’t have huge depth on the outside. That bodes well for Bridge who’s elevation to playing 23 seems inevitable, and could signal a less conservative selection policy under Robertson.
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Stephen Perofeta – Blues
Dual pivot players have become all the rage in New Zealand rugby, and the blame can be laid squarely at the feet of Beauden Barrett, who is as much at home at fullback (despite his insistence that it is not his preferred position) as he is at first five eighth. Not that anyone is complaining. Fullback-first fives are the ultimate utility back for a coach, and a great pressure valve in high tension moments.
With that in mind, the Blues were quick to snag the signature of teenaged Taranaki fullback Stephen Perofeta, who represented the NZ under-20s last year and is eligible for another world championship this season. Perofeta’s debut season of Mitre 10 Cup was an unqualified success, but one gets the sense we haven’t seen anything yet.
What was most impressive about Perofeta in the domestic championship was his decision-making. He finished the season ranked 8th in running metres, but rarely did he overplay his hand, eschewing the chance to boost his own personal stats, instead focusing on putting the team in good positions. His ability to carry to the line on kick returns was one of the best things about his game.
That is why there is more than a small chance that the Blues have identified Perofeta as a potential franchise five eighth. He has good vision for the game, time on the ball, a kick repertoire and a selfless style of play that signals a starring role. It is doubtful he will supplant Piers Francis or Ihaia West in the short term, but don’t count out a start at 10 at some stage this season.
Wes Goosen – Hurricanes
This was Wes’s first touch in Super Rugby which is a ridiculous first touch if you ask us, or anyone else for that matter. Goosen, South African born and a Wellington Lions squad member, was a WTG prospect for the Hurricanes last season and won his first start after five members of the team were stood down for disciplinary reasons.
Despite the scintillating start to his Super Rugby career, he was largely unused for the remainder of the season, making just one further appearance off the bench. Despite that, coach Chris Boyd elevated Goosen to the senior roster this season and we expect him to be given a few more chances in 2017.
There is good reason for that: Goosen was a superb for the Lions in another tough Mitre 10 Cup season. He led all players in clean breaks, ranked fourth in metres gained and in backline carries and sixth in defenders beaten. And he is still only 21 years old.
It won’t be an easy road to a starting spot for Goosen – Julian Savea, Nehe Milner-Skudder and Old Man Jane have All Blacks pedigree to go with their experience, but Goosen shapes as a ready-made replacement should any of Chris Boyd’s first string attack go down. He’s better than injury cover, though, so don’t be surprised if he is picked on merit alone.
Comments on RugbyPass
Word in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
2 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
4 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
1 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
4 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to comments