Hoskins Sotutu's take on the Blues' streak-ending season: 'We've been working really hard to try and get Auckland back supporting us'
Already, 2020 is shaping up as a record-breaking year for the Blues.
Sunday night’s win over the Hurricanes marked the first time that the Auckland-based side have won back-to-back matches against the men from the capital since 2013 – which was also the most-recent season that the Blues had recorded a win in Wellington until earlier this year.
They’re now sitting on a five-match winning streak – a feat they’ve not achieved since 2011.
Curiously enough, 2011 was also the last time that the Blues managed a win in Hamilton – although that could all change when the neighbouring franchises face off this coming weekend.
On that fateful night nine year ago, Jared Payne was the sole try-scorer for the visitors while Luke McAlister added 11 points from the boot. The Chiefs scored two tries of their own, through Liam Messam and Sona Taumalolo, but still fell short, 13-16.
None of the players that took the field on that soggy Hamilton evening are still playing professional football in New Zealand but Tana Umaga, who started the game in the Chiefs midfield, is now an assistant coach with the Blues.
That means that none of the current crop of Blues talent have ever tasted victory against the Chiefs in Hamilton. Beauden Barrett, of course, only just joined the Blues this season – but as the Hurricanes also hadn’t scored a win in Hamilton for over a decade until earlier this year, Barrett’s similarly never won a Super Rugby match in the Waikato region.
That’s unlikely to faze anyone in the Blues set-up, however – least of all, breakout star Hoskins Sotutu.
“Is that so? I didn’t even know that,” Sotutu said when asked about the Blues’ less than impressive record in Hamilton.
“We just try not to think about the past too much – we just focus on the game at hand. We’re a new team at the moment, trying to turn things around.”
Sotutu was just one part of an impressive loose forward combo that outgunned their Hurricanes counterparts over the weekend.
While Northland’s Tom Robinson was expertly employed in the lineouts and replacement openside Dalton Papalii hit the most breakdowns of any Blues forward, Sotutu was a menace across the park – eating metres, pilfering lineout ball and earning breakdown turnovers.
The breakdown, in particular, is one area where Sotutu is focussing on improving his performance.
From the confines of isolation, Hoskins Sotutu and I spoke about his impressive season with the @BluesRugbyTeam. #SuperRugbyhttps://t.co/pWOhi1kKJm
— Tom Vinicombe (@TomVinicombe) March 26, 2020
“I’ve been working on my jackle and stuff around the breakdown a lot,” he said. “The coaches have tried to help me out a lot around that. That’s sort of the area that I need to work on the most.
“Also, I’m working on trying to turn my defence into a bit of a turning point as well. Trying to be that enforcer dude as well – at both ends of the ball.”
Sotutu was just one piece of a Blues lineout that caused massive problems for the Hurricanes, with the Aucklanders picking off five of their opposition’s throws – and they’ll be trying to cause as much disruption when they come up against the Chiefs on Saturday.
The Chiefs had plenty of their own issues over the weekend, with precious lineout ball regularly spilled or overthrown, and the tall timber in the Blues pack will be hoping to feed of those sorts of mistakes – though they may have to do it without Robinson, who sustained a knee injury in the win over the Hurricanes.
Blake Gibson, who started in the 7 jersey, took a blow to the head and exited Sunday’s game after 30 minutes, which could also force changes for the Blues.
Injuries are hardly a surprise – players, coaches and pundits alike all predicted that there would be plenty of casualties throughout the season due to the intensely physical nature of the NZ derbies. While Sotutu is fit and ready to go for the weekend at this stage, he felt the impact of his first competitive game of rugby since the lockdown back in March.
“The body was a bit sore but it was the first game back so that was expected,” he said.
“You can’t really train for an intense game like that, especially against the Canes, it’s always real fast and also real physical as well. You feel pretty tired in the first half and then it carries on all the way through until the end of the game.”
The Blues aren’t expecting a rousing welcome from the Chiefs or the Hamilton crowd but Sotutu is hopeful that fans do continue to flock to stadiums for the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
“There’s a bit of a rivalry, always, against the Chiefs,” Sotutu admitted. “I guess they don’t like us and we don’t like them either.”
“It’s always good to have heaps of fans at the games. It just helps with the atmosphere. It pumps up both team – it helps when you’re the home team but when you’re visiting, it gets the boys up as well.”
Over 43,000 fans turned out at Eden Park to witness the Blues’ win over the Hurricanes while, by Tuesday evening, 16,000 tickets had been sold for this weekend’s grudge match with the Chiefs at Waikato Stadium, which can seat around 25,000 spectators.
Sotutua admitted that running out for the first game of rugby in over three months was a little bit nerve-wracking – but hoped that the masses of fans that turned out for the match will be a sign of things to come.
“It was definitely the biggest crowd I’ve played in front of,” Sotutu said of Sunday’s game.
“There’s always a bit of nerves but, for the most part, I was pretty excited to get out and play in front of so many Blues supporters. We’ve been working really hard to try and get Auckland back supporting us and having some more faith in us. I think we’re heading in the right direction.
“I just hope that they keep coming out and we keep making them happy.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Very unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord 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.
5 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.
2 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 comments