'I don’t need to prove anything': Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens on facing the Blues
The Otago Daily Times has hailed Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens as one of the Highlanders’ best singings in a decade.
The 23-year-old lived up to that billing in Dunedin on Saturday night. On debut against Moana Pasifika, the fullback scored two tries, carried for 93 meters, and busted ten tackles in a sometimes scintillating opening round 35-21 victory.
“It was a dream outcome and a special night, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens told RugbyPass.
“My family from New Plymouth was there and our home fans were buzzing because of O’week. I did a lot of prep throughout the week reviewing how Moana Pasifika attacked and defended. As a backline, we wanted to make sure that we were aligned. We were mostly on point with that.”
The Highlanders were on point in the pre-season winning all three matches against Moana Pasifika (36-28), the Hurricanes (52-19), and the Crusaders (41-14).
Tonight, in Melbourne the Highlanders clash with the Blues who were also first-round victors and unblemished in their three pre-season outings.
Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens played for the Blues 13 times from 2021 to 2023. All Blacks Stephen Perofeta and Beauden Barrett were his main competition at fullback, so he often played on the wing where All Blacks Mark Telea and Caleb Clarke featured.
“It’s been a funny week because I know those guys well; how they play and what they think. We’ve got an attacking mindset to do well. We’ve identified some areas where we think we can hurt them. Personally; I don’t want this game to become too emotional. I don’t need to prove anything; I just need to do my job.”
Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ main priority is to inject himself into the backline and create attacking momentum. He did this extremely effectively in the NPC helping Taranaki win the title. He was the Bulls’ top try scorer with six and carried for the most metres (873) and beat the most defenders (43). He spent the entire season as a fullback.
“I learned a lot under Leon MacDonald at the Blues about the mindset of being a fullback. I had to focus more on defence and kicking and learn when to insert myself into the game more which I enjoyed.
“I’m so lucky to have Ben Smith on the coaching staff of the Highlanders. I think he’s one of the greatest fullbacks ever. Bender has taken me under his wing and encouraged me to stay ahead of the game by reading situations better and counter-attacking without hesitation when it’s on.”
Smith played 154 games for the Highlanders winning a Super Rugby title in 2015. He was the only All Black to start every Test in 2013 when they went 14-0; the only international team in the professional era to complete an entire calendar year undefeated until France followed suit in 2022.
“Ben was a run-first fullback and that suits my game. In the off-season, I’ve gone from 93kg to 98kg but maintained the same pace. I noticed that against Moana Pasifika. They’re big boys who hit hard but I felt the extra strength in the contact,” Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens said.
Born in Christchurch and raised in New Plymouth, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens attended the same alma matta as the Barrett family, Francis Douglas Memorial College. He was in the First XV from 2017 to 2019 and rated victories against Wesely College and Palmerston North Boys’ High School as highlights.
He was selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools in 2019 and then headed to Tauranga to start a two-year contract with the All Blacks Sevens. Unfortunately, he struggled with a finger injury. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens debuted for Taranaki in the NPC in 2020 and in 2021 helped the Bulls to a perfect 10-0 season.
His hyphenated name is a tribute to his Fijian mum and hospital worker Patty.
“My name looks more intimidating than it actually is. Mum has been so important making sure I’m doing the right things on and off the field, keeping me grounded. There is a lot of travel in rugby. Mum has probably been to three-quarters of my games. That’s pretty special.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
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