From Rongotai to the All Blacks – Savea’s dream fulfilled
This week All Blacks winger Julian Savea announced his New Zealand career is all but over after signing with Toulon. The hometown product has achieved it all and will leave as a local legend. It’s been a magic ride to the top from an underdog school, fulfilling a dream that looked possible from a young age.
At barely 15 years old he made his 1st XV debut in Year 10 and quickly became a school hero as the underdog Rongotai College had uncovered the rugby equivalent of Lebron James. He was a special athlete who measured at 1.90 and 104kg in his last years of high school. With sprinter’s speed, power and most of all rugby nous, Savea was as Steve Hansen described – ‘unstoppable’.
By Year 11 whispers began about this special kid from Rongotai. Every team that played them had a plan to ‘get Julian’. Many tried and many failed.
On a perfect winter’s afternoon in 2007, Rongotai played rival St Pats Silverstream at home in the annual traditional, one that has been historically dominated by Silverstream. In 60 attempts Rongotai has only notched 18 victories.
Savea, now in Year 12 and his third year of 1st XV, scored three first-half tries all from past halfway on the way to a 28-11 win. It was a sight to behold. With every Savea touch, the crowd rose in anticipation of seeing something improbable, each time left with growing disbelief at what they just saw. The win was by the largest margin since 1969 and is still the biggest margin against Silverstream in school history.
He made the New Zealand schoolboys that year as a winger and returned for his final year of schooling the next, already in the Hurricanes academy. He was selected for the New Zealand Sevens team while still a schoolboy.
Whilst it seems the path was laid out, there were bumps to overcome. He was propelled through to each level so young, and each time had to adjust. He played club rugby just like everyone else, but eventually, the prodigious talent found his way.
A breakout 2010 Junior World Cup in Argentina for New Zealand put the world on notice that his arrival was imminent. He picked up the IRB Junior Player of the Year award and comparisons were made to the late great Jonah Lomu. He debuted for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby in 2011 but had a quiet time in a developing Hurricanes team.
2012 saw the arrival of ‘The Bus’ as a damaging force in Super Rugby as he plowed his way through opposition backs. He began bumping off current All Blacks like schoolboys. His try against the Crusaders where he crushed Israel Dagg like a hydraulic press machine was mesmerizing. An All Blacks debut beckoned, where he scored three tries against Ireland and thus begun the Savea-era in the famous 11 jersey.
His most memorable match will probably be the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against France, where he scored three barnstorming tries in a record win. Savea had finally made it to the biggest stage of all and fittingly came up big like he had always done. It was a pinnacle moment and left a global audience with the same feeling many had watching him in high school – a mix of disbelief and awe.
He left with a World Cup winners medal and then helped his hometown franchise Hurricanes to a maiden Super Rugby title the following year. Something as a local product will be a cherished achievement for him.
The move to Toulon follows the exact path of another All Black legend, Ma’a Nonu. Fittingly, Nonu was also a Rongotai old boy and has had nearly an identical path. With so much left to give, France will still see the best Savea has to offer. With Top 14 titles and Champions Cups to compete for, Savea will find new challenges and Europe will get a first-hand look at one of the best power wingers in history.
Hopefully, they will leave with that similar feeling of amazement.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments