'He's been knocking on the door for a while': Super Rugby veterans' shock All Blacks bolter picks
The dawn of the new Super Rugby season, as always, brings with it plenty of speculation about which uncapped players could be in line to make the step up to the All Blacks.
Usually those bolters, as they are referred to, tend to be previously unheralded rookies in their first seasons of Super Rugby who quickly make their mark on that stage.
Every year since 2012, there always been at least one player who has been plucked from Super Rugby to make their All Blacks debut at the first time of asking.
More often than not, those players tend to bring with them an element of surprise about their selections – those such as Tupou Vaa’i (2020), Shannon Frizell, Karl Tu’inukuafe and Brett Cameron (all 2018) have fit those bills in recent seasons.
There are others, though, who make the All Blacks for the first time after at least a few years finding their feet at Super Rugby level.
It has been similarly common to see those types of players – such as Alex Hodgman (2020), Angus Ta’avao, Jackson Hemopo, Gareth Evans and Matt Proctor (all 2018) – elevated to test rugby over the past fews.
This year is expected to be no different, as former Blues hooker James Parsons and Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall alluded to on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
When asked which players they see as potential bolters for the season ahead, Hall pinpointed current Blues hooker Kurt Eklund as someone who could push through the ranks this year.
By no means a fresh, young talent at the age of 29, Eklund fits the mould of Hodgman, Ta’avao, Hemopo, Evans and Proctor – someone who has floated around the professional rugby scene for some time now but could be set for a test rugby breakthrough.
That’s how Hall sees it, as he expects Eklund – who is entering his just second season with the Blues despite having played provincial rugby since 2015 – to build on his impressive campaign last year.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a rookie, but I thought Kurt Eklund would be a bolter for me,” Hall told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“With big Jip [Parsons] moving aside and not being there anymore, he’s going to get a lot more game time in that hooker position.
“Luteru Tolai’s there as well, and Ray Niuia’s there as well, but I think for a guy who’s probably going to play a lot of rugby, probably in a position where there could be an opportunity for someone that they [the All Blacks] might want to bring in.
“Obviously Asafo Aumua is there and Liam Coltman’s been in and around there as well… But, Kurt Eklund played really well last year and looking forward to seeing how he goes moving forward with Jip not being there.”
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Starring as the Blues’ premier hooker throughout much of the season, Eklund garnered 12 appearances for the Blues in his maiden Super Rugby campaign, and earned representative honours for his robust performances.
“The fact that he was New Zealand Maori last year and he was picked in the North vs South, so Kurt Eklund would probably be [my bolter pick],” Hall opined.
Although Parsons agreed with Hall’s sentiments about Eklund, the two-test All Black couldn’t look past his fellow panellist and ex-Blues and North Harbour teammate as his bolter pick.
Since moving south from the Blues to the Crusaders in 2017, Hall has become a central figure for the Christchurch franchise during their run of four straight Super Rugby titles upon his arrival.
The 29-year-old started in all three finals between 2017 and 2019, and started in five of the Crusaders’ seven Super Rugby Aotearoa matches last year.
In that time, he has kept one-test All Black Mitchell Drummond out of the starting lineup on many occasions, and has formed solid partnership with star first-five Richie Mo’unga.
The Crusaders are firm favourites to clinch a fifth straight title, but, in the eyes of two Super Rugby stalwarts, they won't go through the season unchallenged. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/zrgQxX0WQk
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As such, Hall has earned six caps for the Maori All Blacks, making his debut for the side against the British and Irish Lions four years ago, and was called into the All Blacks squad for their test against Japan in 2018.
While he missed out on a test debut in Tokyo, with Drummond and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi used instead, Parsons said the absence of TJ Perenara, who is on sabbatical in the Top League, could open the door for Hall to win his first cap.
“Obviously not a rookie, as such, but me old mate over here, I’m going to just give him a bit of a pump up, because he’s been knocking on the door for a while and there’s a real No. 9 spot open,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“There’s a couple of young boys here, obviously Folau Fakatava, but, four titles, been knocking on the door, so I’m going to say Bryn Hall’s my bolter to get into the ABs and get a test cap.”
While appreciative of Parsons’ prediction, Hall remained coy on how he sees his All Blacks selection prospects.
“[I’ll] keep chipping away and see what happens,” he said.
All Blacks ‘bolters’ who were picked in the same year of their Super Rugby debut since 2012
2012
Brodie Retallick
2013
Dominic Bird
Frank Halai
2014
Malakai Fekitoa
Patrick Tuipulotu
Nathan Harris
2015
Nehe Milner-Skudder
2016
Rieko Ioane
2017
Jordie Barrett
Asafo Aumua*
Jack Goodhue
Dillon Hunt
2018
Karl Tu’inukuafe
Shannon Frizell
Dalton Papalii
Brett Cameron
2019
Sevu Reece
2020
Tupou Vaa’i
Cullen Grace
* Aumua debuted for the All Blacks with no Super Rugby experience and only made his Hurricanes debut in 2018.
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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