'He's proven that he's got quality and that he can perform all around the world': the 'rookie' back-rower that upstaged the All Blacks
The relentless nature of Super Rugby is a dramatically difficult environment for any newcomer to attempt to find their feet in, let alone thrive. And as the last ten weeks have illustrated, that intensity is only magnified in a competition as fast-paced and combative as Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Yet as the old saying goes, diamonds are made under pressure, and in 2021 a vast array of new talent caught the eye, adding to the already overflowing New Zealand rugby jewellery box.
Certainly, looking back to the podium of Super Rugby rookies for 2019, Sevu Reece, Tom Robinson and Will Jordan remain undoubtedly three of the best players in the current competition. That shows that for young Kiwi talent, a breakout rookie season can do more than simply raise eyebrows and catch attention, sometimes fast-tracking a player to higher honours.
In 2021, the bar was set as high as ever, with several standout young performers delivering throughout the competition. Sam Darry for one, showed great effectiveness week-in, week-out at lineout time and a tireless defensive work rate in five starts from lock, making good his move north to join the Blues.
Ruben Love was another who shone when given the opportunity to do so, and was crucial in the Hurricanes’ late-season win over the Highlanders from stand-off as well as putting in an exciting debut performance against a champion Crusaders side.
However, for many, including ex-Blues hooker James Parsons, it was 22-year-old Connor Garden-Bachop who produced the most notable impact in his rookie season. In what was a mixed year for the Dunedin franchise, Garden-Bachop proved a real point of difference with his versatility, guile and pace featuring prominently in the Landers shock victory over the Crusaders.
Speaking on the Aoteroa Rugby Pod, Parsons was full of praise for the young man’s season: “For me, he was outstanding and someone that is a genuine rookie of the year.
“I think coming from where he was at Bunnings NPC, sort of unknown, to his performances where he pretty much fought his way [into the team]… I thought he was exceptional,” said Parsons. “He just bullied his way into that team and that form has just continued, until he got injured unfortunately.”
It was a fractured wrist in the Highlanders’ Round 7 clash with the Chiefs that halted Garden-Bachop’s rise, a season in which he showed equal ability from both fullback and on the wing, bagging three tries for his efforts.
For Bryn Hall, now a five-time Super Rugby champion with the Crusaders, it was Hurricanes halfback Luke Campbell that impressed with consistent performances both from the bench and as a starter.
"If, for argument’s sake, Beauden Barrett, currently on sabbatical in Japan, wasn’t returning to the #AllBlacks this year, then who would be the All Blacks’ second-choice first five?"
Justin Marshall looks at #SuperRugbyAotearoa's movers and shakers.https://t.co/gxW4TYiyG9
— RugbyPass+ (@RugbyPassPlus) May 10, 2021
Making the most of TJ Perenara’s absence in the capital, Hall commented positively on Campbell’s game: “I thought he did really well for the Hurricanes… Him and Taumateine at the start of the year went back and forth with starts but he ended up winning that race and played really well.”
Most impressive for Hall were the rookie’s core skills, noting, “his passing, his kicking game, especially contestables, was really strong for the Hurricanes and was pretty big in their exit strategy.”
Hall’s overall pick for rookie of the year in 2021 however was for a young man already possessing 17 international caps, Highlanders and Japan back-rower Kazuki Himeno.
“He was outstanding coming in from Japan,” said Hall. “He came in a little late in the piece but with his performances with Shannon Frizell, who I thought was great for the Highlanders, and their one-two punch…[they] played really, really well.”
Making his first appearance halfway through the competition, Himeno, who played in every game of Japan’s home World Cup campaign, shone with his stamina around the park, tackle count and consistency and physicality.
Despite already being an international star in his home country, Himeno was far from complacent at the Highlanders and Parsons acknowledged the character of the 26-year-old to look for new challenges abroad.
“He is huge in Japan, in Japanese rugby,” Parsons stated. “He’s got a pretty strong name. I think that’s why he wanted to come down here and test himself and he’s certainly proven that he’s got quality that can perform all around the world. He’ll go back with a lot of confidence for international rugby.”
While the Highlanders had plenty of depth in their loose forwards, including All Blacks Frizell and Liam Squire, as well as experienced operators Billy Harmon, James Lentjies and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, it was Himeno who was perhaps the best of the best.
TRANSFER: What are the odds on Collins making a Welsh squad in short order?https://t.co/WPDSQXAhVg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 10, 2021
That relationship forged down in the deep south between Tony Brown and Himeno may indeed later pay dividends at international level.
Hall also viewed Himeno’s standout contribution to the Highlanders as potentially having a bonus side effect, providing a catalyst for those in Japanese rugby looking to test themselves in the New Zealand competition, “It’s great to see, not only for the Highlanders and himself but for Japanese rugby as well, being able to have a player of that calibre come in and play so well.”
Highlanders fans will certainly hope their rookie of the year hangs around for a bit longer.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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.
55 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.
7 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
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
55 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.
55 Go to comments