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Recalled All Black David Havili 'taking steps in the right direction'
Saturday night’s battle for the Bledisloe presented the new All Blacks midfield with a second opportunity to build their partnership and while there may have been a few hiccups, signs were promising.
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David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown first linked up in New Zealand’s final test of July against Fiji and although both showed signs of individual brilliance, it was clear that the pair would need to spend more time together in the saddle before they’d threaten as a combination.
The pair roomed together ahead of this weekend’s test and were named in the No 12 and 13 jerseys for Saturday’s fixture, fighting off the likes of Rieko Ioane, who slotted in on the left wing, and Quinn Tupaea, who was eventually released to play for Waikato on Sunday.
While Lienert-Brown has been a constant presence in the All Blacks midfield over the last five years, Havili only made his return to the national squad this season after first debuting in 2018.
The Tasman and Crusaders utility has regularly spoken of his preference for playing at fullback but was called upon to fill the Crusaders No 12 jersey this year, ultimately starting 11 of his 12 Super Rugby matches in the midfield.
Following Saturday’s win, Havili admitted that he’s slowly starting to come to terms with his new role and that’s he’s focussing on building on his combination with Lienert-Brown.
“I think I’m taking steps in the right direction,” he said. “I’ve been helped a lot around moving to 12 with a lot of players and around my club side as well. I’m still learning and I just want to be a sponge off the likes of Rieko and Anton in the midfield there so I can get the best out of myself and do the best for this team.
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“I’m really enjoying playing in the midfield. I know I’ve said in the past that 15 was my preferred position but at the moment, I’m comfortable there and I’m looking forward to building more of those connections in the midfield and seeing where I can get myself.”
While Havili notched up a handful of tests in his debut season with the All Blacks three years ago, Saturday presented the 26-year-old with his first start against a tier-one side, following starts against Fiji last month.
Havili said the match against the Wallabies was exactly the kind of physical contest he’d been anticipating from his first Bledisloe Cup encounter.
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“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “[I’d] expect nothing less from a Bledisloe. Physicality was right there. The tempo was there at the start and towards the end.
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“It was good for me to experience that and playing with Anton was pretty cool. [It’s a] good combo. [There’s] a few things we’ll work on during the week but [it was] a step forward in the right direction.”
Havili was always a willing ball-runner in the midfield and finished the match with the second-most carries of any All Black. He also beat four defenders – just two fewer than fullback Damian McKenzie, and made 11 tackles, the most of any NZ back.
Tupaea is an option to start at No 12 next weekend while Ioane could slide into the centre role but the most likely option is Ian Foster sticks with this week’s combination for a third successive test.
Since Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith called time on their test careers following the 2015 Rugby World Cup triumph, New Zealand have struggled to build a perfect partnership in the midfield. Whether Havili and Lienert-Brown could be that partnership remains to be seen – but it’s something that can only be determined after they’ve spent ample time on the field together.
The All Blacks’ 33-25 win on Saturday night means Australia needs to win the final two Bledisloe Cup fixtures of the year in order to wrestle the Cup off NZ for the first time since 2002.
Comments on RugbyPass
Super 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?
10 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.
9 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.
10 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.
22 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
24 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
24 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
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