Sorry Eddie! Blues set to lock in Hoskins Sotutu on a new contract
Hoskins Sotutu has been a revelation for the Blues in 2020 and, despite rumoured interest from outside New Zealand, is set to sign on for a new deal with New Zealand Rugby.
Sotutu made just one appearance for the Blues last year and with so many experienced loose forwards in the wider squad, few would have expected the blockbusting number 8 to have accrued so many minutes for his franchise this season.
The son of former Fijian flyer Waisake Sotutu looks destined to take the step up to international football but it recently emerged that the loose forward is eligible for Fiji and England as well as his native New Zealand. Rumours from The Telegraph suggested that Eddie Jones, head coach of England, was considering making a daring play for Sotutu’s allegiance but the latest news out of NZ suggests that the Blues man won’t be going anywhere.
According to Stuff News, Sotutu is ready to put pen to paper and sign a new two-year deal with NZR and the Blues which would keep him in the country until the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
Blues head coach Leon MacDonald also indicated when questioned whether his club were willing to let Sotutu go that the loose forward is enjoying his time with the franchise and is in it for the long haul.
Stock in Blues' rookie Hoskins Sotutu is skyrocketing every week ?? #CHIvBLU #SuperRugbyAotearoa #BluesRugby https://t.co/M9aIdMq2Ih
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 20, 2020
“No way. We see him as a lifetime Blues player,” MacDonald said. “He’s passionate about this region and we don’t want that to change.
“I can see why there’s interest all over the place. I’d want him in my team if I was coach and luckily we do have him. I can understand why he’s causing the fuss because he’s playing great.”
The Blues are well-stocked in the loose forwards with Tom Robinson, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Blake Gibson and Tony Lamborn sharing minutes this season while Sotutu has been a mainstay in the match-day trio.
Sotutu’s diverse skill-set has had many calling for the 21-year-old to be quickly elevated into the national set-up, given that former captain Kieran Read has now vacated the spot at the back of the All Blacks scrum.
“He’s created a bit of fuss because of the way he’s played,” said MacDonald. “He’s got a unique skillset because it’s so well-rounded. He can kick the ball, and chuck missed passes, yet get physical and carry hard and offload and make the hits defensively.
“He’s got a really good all-round game. And he doesn’t really have any quiet spots in a game. He’ll work right through. It makes him a pretty imposing threat.”
Sotutu has previously spoken about the areas of the game he’s focusing his development on – namely his work at the breakdown and on defence.
“I’ve been working on my jackal and stuff around the breakdown a lot,” he told RugbyPass. “The coaches have tried to help me out a lot around that. That’s sort of the area that I need to work on the most.
“Also, I’m working on trying to turn my defence into a bit of a turning point as well. Trying to be that enforcer dude as well – at both ends of the ball.”
While his on-field performances have been evident for all fans and punters to witness, it’s Sotutu’s off-field work that’s especially impressed MacDonald.
“We’re thrilled with Hos,” MacDonald said. “He’s grown up off the field as much as he has performed on it. He speaks up after meetings and seems really comfortable in his own skin at the moment.
“As a person, I’m quite relaxed. At training, sometimes I might not look engaged,” said Sotutu.
“The coaches just said that if I’m not playing, they’ve gotta pick me off the way I train and if I don’t look engaged and it doesn’t seem like I’m working hard, they won’t pick me.
“This year, I tried to change it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments