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'He's probably plateaued': The two candidates pushing for All Blacks No 8 cover
While the Chiefs have struggled for consistency in the latest rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, breakout star Pita Gus Sowakula must still be considered as an All Blacks contender.
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That’s the verdict from Kiwi referee Ben O’Keeffe, who believes Sowakula is still very much in the conversation for All Blacks selection despite an apparent decline in hype surrounding the Fijian No 8.
Speaking on Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown, O’Keeffe said that Sowakula’s style as a ball-running No 8 “hasn’t been seen in a long time”, making him a strong presence for the Chiefs despite their wavering form in recent weeks.
“I think there should be [hype], he’s playing well week-after-week for the Chiefs,” O’Keeffe told The Breakdown.
“They are going to be a big team in the playoffs and he is a part of that, the way that he can carry that ball off the scrum.
“I haven’t seen a No 8 do it in his style for a long time. He still impresses me.”
All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan added that Sowakula’s form has had a positive impact on his Blues counterpart Hoskins Sotutu, who made his All Blacks debut two years ago on the back of an outstanding Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
The 23-year-old played in five of New Zealand’s six tests in 2020, but his standing within the side dropped last year as he featured in only five of 15 tests, with starts against Fiji at home, and Argentina, USA and Italy away.
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However, Kirwan has been impressed by Sotutu in Super Rugby Pacific this year, suggesting that Sowakula’s performance have forced the 10-test international to lift his game for the Blues.
As such, the 1987 World Cup-winning wing told The Breakdown that he would pick both players in the All Blacks squad as he noted that Sowakula brings something “a little bit different” that is currently missing from the team.
“I think his form has been very good for Hoskins Sotutu, who has actually picked up his game in the last five weeks,” Kirwan said.
“I’m sure they will be in competition. I would take both. I think Pita Gus Sowakula gives us something a little bit different.
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“Like I said, I think Hoskins has got back to the form he was in when he was picked a couple of years ago. He’s hitting guys, he’s working hard over the ball, he’s carrying hard.
“But Pita just gives us something a little bit different. You’d like to bring him on late in a test match.”
All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina also backed Sowakula to be considered on the basis that he brings something that is missing from the All Blacks.
“He’s really matured. That’s what we’ve really seen. He’s probably plateaued a little bit, and every guy is sort of different,” Muliaina told The Breakdown of Sowakula.
“Hoskins has come in and taken his time to get the form he has been at. Pita Gus came out with a hiss and a roar and, all of a sudden, just plateaued a bit and then has come back into form.
“I think when you look at the All Blacks, he brings something really different. He ball carries, he brings excitement, he jumps over players, he throws balls around the corner, so I think he is definitely in the conversation.”
Both players would be in competition with Ardie Savea for the No 8 jersey, who is the preferred option at the back of the scrum when captain Sam Cane plays at openside flanker.
Chiefs loose forward Luke Jacobson, a versatile back rower who can cover multiple positions, was also used at No 8 in 2021, and has pushed Sowakula into the No 6 jersey at the Chiefs in recent weeks.
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
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