‘Lit a fire’: Dropped All Black Hoskins Sotutu’s secret to stunning form
14-Test All Black Hoskins Sotutu has returned to the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific with a vengeance this season after missing out on representative honours last year.
Sotutu, 25, shot out of the blocks with a headline-grabbing start across the opening two rounds after crossing for a competition-high five tries against the Fijian Drua and Highlanders.
The Blues backrower made sure to send a message to the “doubters” after his hat-trick against the Highlanders in Melbourne with a cold Instagram caption on a March 2nd post.
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“They want reasons to H8. Here are 3 more,” he wrote. After falling out of favour with All Blacks selectors in a Rugby World Cup year, Sotutu has come back in career-best form.
“Obviously there’s a few doubters out there so it’s a bit of personality, I guess,” Sotutu told RugbyPass after being asked about the Instagram caption.
“There’s nothing really pinpointing it but obviously I’ve seen a few negative comments that come my way and I hear stuff in the background.
“It’s giving them a reason to keep having it they want to hate.”
Sotutu, who is a product of Sacred Heart College in Auckland, hasn’t worn the All Blacks’ iconic jersey in a Test match during New Zealand’s draw with England in November 2022.
During that period, All Blacks and Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara ruptured his Achilles, went more than 450 days without playing a game, and returned to Super Rugby Pacific.
Blues enforcer Sotutu wasn’t just overlooked for All Blacks selection under former coach Ian Foster, but the backrower also missed out on the All Blacks XV squad in 2023.
“It definitely has lit a fire,” Sotutu said.
“It’s not about making any teams it’s about proving to myself and proving to everyone else that I’m still a good player. Just that really.
“There’s just a bit of motivation,” he added.
“I definitely wanted to come in and start strong. I don’t want to come in off the back of maybe an average end to Super last year to be on that downward sort of thing.
“It’s a hard thing as well to start strong and then you’ve got to hold it up through the season but you’d rather that than build into it.”
The feedback that Sotutu received from All Blacks selectors last year was around his “strong” start to the season before his form dropped off.
But that disappointment is “just a stepping stone forward” as Sotutu looks to become the best version of himself, without necessarily focusing on whether he goes on to make the All Blacks.
As Sotutu explained: “There’s always sort of a reason why. It’s always one person’s opinion.”
“Just coming in this year, I’m coming off contract this year so it could possibly be my last season with the Blues.
“I know I want to put my all into this season with the Blues and really just make sure that I’m at the top of my game so we’re hopefully holding up the trophy at the end of the season.
“I’m speaking up more, helping out other players… if I’m just trying to find myself into better positions on the field to get my hands on the ball or get the ball back.”
Sotutu came off the bench during the Blues’ first loss of the Super Rugby Pacific season down in the nation’s capital against the Hurricanes.
The Blues will shift their focus to an intriguing Round Four clash away to the NSW Waratahs at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium. NSW were beaten in quite heartbreaking circumstances by New Zealand side the Highlanders at the very same venue on Friday night.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why 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.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments