NRL star Joey Manu insists All Blacks ‘not the main focus’ in rugby switch
Joey Manu insists an All Blacks cap remains a distant goal, even if his impending switch to the 15-man game has experts excited about him following the trail blazed by Sonny Bill Williams.
Manu announced last week 2024 would be his last in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters before moving to Japan and joining Toyota Verblitz.
The 27-year-old has won 17 caps for the Kiwis but if all goes well in Japan it could be a springboard to him one day representing the All Blacks.
New Zealand Rugby has strictly pursued a policy of only calling up players plying their trade domestically and Manu would likely have to return to New Zealand if he wanted a shot at selection for the 2027 World Cup.
History is also stacked against the Roosters centre due to the fact, since rugby union became openly professional in 1995, only Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Williams have won caps for New Zealand in both codes.
Working in Manu’s favour, however, is the fact Steve Hansen, who helped guide Williams’ union career, is the director of rugby at Toyota Verblitz with Ian Foster installed as coach next year.
But, speaking for the first time since finalising his switch, Manu is keen to downplay his prospects of international honours, stressing the most important goal was learning a game he hadn’t played since his school days.
“If I’m playing good then yeah (I’d love an All Blacks jersey), but that’s not the main focus, I’ve got to learn the game,” Manu told AAP.
“I’m really happy that those two coaches are there along with Aaron Smith so I want to build off that.
“It was a personal decision and I obviously had to look for the best option.
“I felt that was what was best, talking to the coaches there, I just want to go over there and learn and develop as a rugby player.”
Manu has yet to begin learning Japanese and said he had agonised over leaving the club and the tutelage of Trent Robinson, who has been a constant in his NRL career.
“It was a tough decision, I had a lot of chats with ‘Robbo’ and how long I’ve been here … I came over here when I was 16, it’s a long while and it’s the only thing I’ve known,” Manu said.
“This place, the club, as well, I made the decision and I’m content with it and I’ve just got to enjoy every moment and make the most of my last year.”
Manu has two NRL premierships to his name but if the Roosters can snap their inconsistent performances he hopes to be able to add a third.
A 4-4 record perhaps belies the quality in Robinson’s star-studded side and Manu knows the Roosters have it within themselves to start upping the ante.
“We’re sort of up and down and we haven’t really proven too much,” Manu added. “We’ve got to find that consistency, that week to week is the challenge for us.
“We’ve got to stay with that and then hopefully we can start racking up a few games in a row.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wonderful insightful interview with Crusader Johnny McNicoll. He was exceptional in the wins over the Chiefs and Rebels and I am sure he will get a contract again for 2025. He was an excitement machine for Canterbury and the Crusaders in 2011-16 and he still is. He has added to the attack particularly. Had a fine career with Wales in the intervening years.
1 Go to commentsAmazing what decent coaching can do! I always felt Folau never improved much as a player and never had a great coach using his talents. Suli seems different at qld this year.
6 Go to commentsI’m sick to death of waiting 3 years for league players to become half decent. It cripples Australian rugby in the meantime. The Reds actually looked half competent without Vunivalu not starting last week. He’s just a liability of errors. Paisami is looking better than he has in previous years but I’d have Kerevi back in a flash. A kiwi wont tho …...
6 Go to commentsExcellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
1 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
6 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
6 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
7 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to comments