Super Rugby Pacific's MVP and the uncapped players pushing for the All Blacks and Wallabies
At the halfway stage of Super Rugby Pacific, the RugbyPass roundtable writers from New Zealand and Australia – Alex McLeod (AM), Jordan King (JK), Nick Turnbull (NT), Ben Smith (BS), Jack O’Rourke (JO) and Tom Vinicombe (TV) – review their pre-season predictions and deliver their verdicts for the remainder of the season.
Who will end the season as Super Rugby Pacific MVP? Has this changed from your pre-season roundtable pick?
AM: Pita Gus Sowakula or Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea are two frontrunners for that accolade on the basis of their efforts in the first half of the season, but it may well be that Beauden Barrett will end the season with the MVP title. He hasn’t played enough to claim that prize just yet, but his influence for the Blues in the few games he has featured in has been immense. You just need to look at his performances against the Chiefs and Crusaders over the last fortnight, as well as his display against the Highlanders before he sustained a concussion, to see how important he is to this Blues side. If they do end up winning Super Rugby Pacific, Barrett will be at the forefront of their success. Funnily enough, that’s in stark contrast to my pre-season pick for MVP, which was Crusaders star and Barrett’s chief All Blacks rival Richie Mo’unga.
JK: As mentioned above, Savea’s form and track record of consistency should see him win the award, but he won’t as a consequence of playing in a losing side. I tipped Richie Mo’unga to claim the MVP gong, even with missing the first couple of weeks, and it’s fair to say that boat has probably sailed. If I had to change my answer with all that I know now, it’d be between Tom Christie and Dalton Papalii. The latter would have a slight edge with being the alpha in his clubhouse, although it’d be silly not to recognise how influential the Crusaders openside has been for them up until the point at which I’m typing this.
NT: I think Tom Christie of the Crusaders has been superb this season and will get the chocolates. His efforts in defence and around the ball have been exceptional in the opening stages of the season. Hard often unseen graft but absolutely invaluable work. As the old wisdom goes, titles are won on the back of defence and Christie brings that like no other. My choice has changed from a three-way split between Michael Hooper, Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. But at least I’ve stayed consistent with an open side flanker.
BS: My pre-season pick was Beauden Barrett, who probably hasn’t played enough games to put together the bones of an MVP season. His games against the Chiefs and Crusaders in which the Blues won both adds a lot of weight. If he can continue this down the stretch and into the playoffs he can still put forward a worthy case. I’ll stick with my pick.
JO: I had Tongan Thor tipped as a potential MVP but the form of Ardie Savea has been undeniable so far. He has been a big part of the reason the Hurricanes are sitting where they are now. Nothing short of inspirational for the Canes skipper.
TV: Rieko Ioane still hasn’t quite hit his straps for the Blues and will no doubt go on to play a big role in the latter half of the year, but it might be Stephen Perofeta who will be able to put his hand up at the end of the year as the key cog in the Blues’ success. When you consider how influential Perofeta was for the Blues in the early rounds against New Zealand opposition, it’s those successes that have paved the way for the Blues to make a genuine run at a genuine title for the first time since 2003. With Beauden Barrett back on deck, Perofeta’s usefulness might fade, but that won’t diminish the impact he’s already had on their season so far.
Which uncapped player will be picked for the All Blacks or Wallabies after this season? Has this changed from your pre-season roundtable pick?
AM: Of those I selected in my All Blacks squad based on the first half of Super Rugby Pacific, I included three uncapped players – Pita Gus Sowakula, ex-Wallabies prop Jermaine Ainsley and Crusaders starlet Leicester Fainga’anuku. All three players warrant due consideration from Ian Foster, and it will be interesting to see if any of them make the cut. As for the Wallabies, Nick Frost was one of numerous newbies named in Dave Rennie’s 40-man squad last month, and given Australia’s lack of depth in the second row, it wouldn’t surprise to see him earn his first test cap this year. These picks differ from my pre-season selections, which were comprised of Folau Fakatava and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for the All Blacks, as well as Suliasi Vunivalu, Pone Fa’amausili and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco for the Wallabies.
JK: Folau Fakatava was the guy I’d put down initially, and I still think he’s in with a shout, but the position which will have the biggest shake up is looking like it’ll be the front row. So, I’d be buying some Ollie Norris stock in the hope his efforts and potential are rewarded by the national selectors for when the Irish visit in July.
NT: Nick Frost. He was my pre-season pick and he has since been selected in the 40-man Wallabies squad. It’s reported that he has signed a contract with a Japanese club, however it is understood he may now be looking to get out of that contract. The former Crusaders academy player has a serious amount of speed for a big man and that could give the Wallabies an edge. Who doesn’t love a big man who can motor?
BS: The bolter for the All Blacks should be Leicester Fainga’anuku after dynamic form on both the left wing and at centre. Another one out of left field could be Cortez Ratima. The All Blacks halfback stocks are aging and there needs to be some more youth in the position group. Aaron Smith will be 35 years old next year, TJ Perenara will be 31, Finlay Christie will be 28. Folau Fakatava won’t be capped unless dispensation is granted under the new residency eligibility laws. Ratima has been impressive and has the youthful zip the others don’t. He is worth blooding to see what he can do at the next level.
JO: Suliasi Vunivalu has returned from injury to take his place on the wing for the Queensland Reds and he is an excitement machine. If he can stay fit, we could see him in Wallabies colours for the July test series against England. A bolter that has emerged during the season is his fellow Queensland teammate Jock Campbell. The Wallabies are still searching for a long-term option at fullback and Campbell was included the Wallabies first squad earlier in the year.
TV: Leicester Fainga’anuku still looks destined for the big leagues and while he’s perhaps not been quite as impressive this year and in 2021, he’s still been one of the top players in the competition, whether in the centres or on the wing. Zarn Sullivan, meanwhile, might still be a couple of seasons away from wearing the silver fern. The other big mover in NZ is tighthead prop Fletcher Newell, who could help breathe some fresh air in the All Blacks’ front row stocks.
Comments on RugbyPass
After their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
3 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
2 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
3 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
3 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to comments