Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

'I don't think he means it at all': Former All Black dismisses Wallabies rookie's glowing endorsement of Hoskins Sotutu

By Alex McLeod
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Rookie Wallabies loose forward Harry Wilson has made no secret of how he is relishing the prospect of facing off against fellow international newbie Hoskins Sotutu in the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series and Rugby Championship.

ADVERTISEMENT

The two uncapped youngsters are poised to make their test debuts over the coming weeks, with Sotutu called up by the All Blacks after standing out for the Blues, while the impressive Wilson is currently quarantining with the Wallabies in Christchurch following a superb campaign with the Reds.

Prior to his side’s departure for New Zealand last week ahead of next Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup opener in Wellington, Wilson singled out Sotutu as a member of the All Blacks that had caught his eye throughout Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Video Spacer

Why All Blacks like Ma’a Nonu and Dan Carter keep getting contracts as they near age 40.

Video Spacer

Why All Blacks like Ma’a Nonu and Dan Carter keep getting contracts as they near age 40.

“Being a No. 8, I really enjoyed watching Hoskins Sotutu play this season,” the 20-year-old told media last Tuesday.

“I thought he was superb. It was just really cool watching him play, being another young No. 8, I guess gave me confidence seeing how well he could play at his age, so he’s one person I’ve enjoyed playing.

“[He’s] a player I’d love to play against because I could see him being one of the best No. 8s in the world pretty quickly.”

His praise of Sotutu, however, has been bluntly dismissed as mind games by former two-test All Blacks hooker and Sotutu’s Blues teammate James Parsons.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking to the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Parsons labelled Wilson’s assessment of Sotutu as a “great ploy” to “soften” the All Blacks leading into the first trans-Tasman test on October 11.

“I love how he’s doing the softening up in the media already,” Parsons said of Wilson’s comments. “It’s a good approach.”

The 33-year-old veteran suggested he doesn’t believe Wilson’s comments are as genuine as he intended them to be, adding: “He was saying Hoskins Sotutu could be the best No. 8 in the world. Great ploy. He doesn’t think it. It’s a great ploy.”

When asked by fellow panellist and Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall whether Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie had spurred Wilson on to lather the All Blacks in praise ahead of their encounter, Parsons instead theorised that Wilson had learned the mental tactic from his Reds coach Brad Thorn.

ADVERTISEMENT

He noted the ex-All Blacks lock’s role in the highly-publicised on-field clash between former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Quade Cooper in 2011, with Thorn pushing the ex-Wallabies playmaker onto the deck after he kneed McCaw in the head.

“I just think it’s a bit of Brad Thorn, maybe there… just saying ‘Don’t disrespect them’, because that will motivate them,” Parsons said.

“He was the biggest advocate when the Wallabies were into the All Blacks. We all know the infamous Quade Cooper-Richie McCaw incident. It just looks like it’s come straight out of the school of Thorn for me. I don’t think he means it at all.”

Parsons said that Rennie, who has only been in camp with his 44-man Wallabies squad since the beginning of last week, wouldn’t have had enough time to sway the way in which Wilson, or any of his players, handles their media responsibilities.

Thorn, however, has coached Wilson since the latter first joined the Queensland franchise at the beginning of last year, and that, believes Parsons, is enough for the former dual international to have influenced both the uncapped loose forward and his Reds teammates.

“I genuinely think he [Rennie] hasn’t been there long enough to make that imprint just yet,” Parsons said. “I honestly think a lot of it’s [what Wilson said is because] he’s a Reds player. 

“The influence of Thorn on the Reds boys and what standards he expects, it’s evident in the way they play, even in the way they hold themselves, so I think it’s probably more credit to the way the Reds have been run at this stage.

“But with Rennie there, that’s the sort of characters he likes as well, so there’ll be a continuation of those messages and [that] will flow through to their performances.”

Find the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod on all good podcast streaming services or listen to the episode below:

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

8 Go to comments
T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING RFU statement: TMO reaction to alleged foul play against Owen Farrell RFU statement: TMO reaction to alleged foul play against Owen Farrell
Search