'I saw your tweet, Mark': Ardie Savea hoses down suggestions over captaincy
One of the best All Blacks performers in the 54-16 win over Wales was No 8 Ardie Savea, who was devastating with ball in hand and proved a handful for the Welsh defence to stop every time he touched the ball.
The versatile loose forward moved to the back of the scrum, which gave him more ball-carrying responsibility after starting against the Springboks at openside flanker during the Rugby Championship.
Having relinquished the captaincy badge to Sam Whitelock for the time being, Savea insisted that the role was not a burden for him after suggestions were made that it was taking a toll on the 28-year-old.
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think I saw your tweet, Mark, around me being captain and that taking a toll on me, and I just wanted to say it didn’t take a toll on me,” Savea told a reporter who asked if his leadership duties had impacted his game on Monday [NZT].
“I loved it and embraced it and I felt like the boys were right behind me, so it was the same for me.
“A lot of people can say that it was a burden, but it wasn’t. I love challenges and the honour to be able to lead the boys.
“Last night, I think I just found something that if you keep things simple in your mind and you just have fun and play and back yourself and back the process through the week, you can play like that.”
Any difference in Savea’s on-field performance has to take into account switching between openside flanker and No 8 as the roles require him to do different things for the side.
Savea said the challenge of switching between the two roles comes down to nailing his preparation during the week in order to feel comfortable on game day to go out and perform.
“I’m just loving playing footy and, I know for me, I pride myself on preparing well and making sure I can nail that role within the week so then I can just go and play freely,” he said.
“For me, it kind of doesn’t matter what position, I’m really grateful if I’m playing, and then I try and nail my week. Once I’ve done that, then I’m able to just have fun, have a smile on my face and just jam.
“I felt that last night, and I’m going to try and go with that over the next couple of games if I do get an opportunity, but it was awesome.”
Savea impressed with his dominant charges into the Welsh line, which often saw the All Black give his side go-forward, and his quick pick-and-go’s around the ruck, which caught the opposition by surprise.
He came up with two key try assists, finding a smart offload for TJ Perenara to dive over and score as well as getting involved in the All Blacks counter-attack in the second half to provide the last pass for Sevu Reece on his try.
Savea said he just happened to be “in the right place at the right time” to help his side convert their try-scoring opportunities.
“Things happen so quickly in the game, and I know Plum [All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree] mentioned to me to try and get my hands on the ball if I can, so I just found myself in the right place at the right time.
“For me, it’s just, ‘Close my eyes, bite down on my mouthguard, and just go’. If you can stop me, stop me, but I’m just going to fight through it.”
New Zealand’s first test of the European tour against an understrength Wales side was about blowing out the rust, Savea said, with a number of the players not having any game time over the last four weeks.
With many first-time tourists in 2021, the experience was a new one for some of the younger All Blacks playing in front of a packed Cardiff crowd so the side went into the clash with a simple game plan.
“There were some of us that haven’t played footy in three or four weeks after South Africa II, and then we played in Washington and there were some of us here that hadn’t played, so I think we used that week to try and get the rust out of us,” he said.
“We knew it was going to be a massive game, massive crowd for many of the players that have never played in front of a crowd like that, but we kind of just had a simple game plan and we wanted to nail the basics in our game.
“We thought we did that well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments