The Fijian Drua rookie backed to 'announce himself' in 2024
Super Rugby Pacific’s rookies are currently gearing up for the biggest year of their young careers, eager to impress in the 2024 season that is now just days away.
Some have tasted Super Rugby action already, filling in for injured players, while others have been on the outside looking in, grinding to get their opportunity at the next level.
The promise of a new World Cup cycle adds further excitement and anticipation to the respective campaigns, with new opportunities for selection opening up after the departures of some household names.
Former All Black James Parsons was asked on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod which of the newcomers he is most keen to see perform this season, and the pundit had one young talent in mind.
“I’m going to go for a young man that’s playing for the Drua, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula,” Parsons replied.
“The reason I’m saying that is he had some opportunities off the bench for Manawatu and he’s just one of those natural players that has time. Even when there’s line-speed pressure he looks completely relaxed.
“He is prepared to pull the trigger, he has a beautiful, flat pass. He’s explosive and can probably play 10 or 15. I don’t know where they see him, I haven’t got any footage of the Drua but hopefully they see him playing a starting role. If not then definitely a bench role and I think he’s the sort of player that will announce himself.”
Armstrong-Ravula, a 20-year-old raised in Brisbane, played rugby league as a youngster before finding rugby union and moving to Christchurch, attending St Andrews College for his final two years of high school.
With Caleb Muntz sidelined for what is expected to be much of the Fijian Drua’s season, there is an opportunity for Armstrong-Ravula to get minutes at 10 in his debut season. He was named to start at 10 in the team’s 21-26 loss to the Rebels in pre-season trials.
Kemu Valentini and fellow rookie Isikeli Rabitu are the team’s other options at first five-eighth.
Parson’s co-panellist and former Super Rugby champion with the Crusaders Bryn Hall also chipped in with his picks for youngsters to keep an eye on.
“Macca Springer is one that comes to mind at Super Rugby level,” Hall said. “Considering Leicester Fainga’anuku is gone and that winger role is open, Leigh Halfpenny and Will Jordan are also injured.
“I think he (Springer) is going to have a massive season and probably be in or around the starting unit and be able to give a massive impact for the Crusaders.
“I’ve also gone for the Highlanders, the number 10. Obviously, Rhys Patchell has come from Wales who is going to bring a different skillset for that Highlanders team, but Ajay Faleafaga is one number 10 to watch.
“I think he’s very similar to a Lima Sopoaga actually, or a Richie Mo’unga with his movements that he has as a 10 and I think he’s one guy – with Cam Millar who’s obviously the other number 10 there – I think he’s one guy that if Rhys Patchell isn’t the guy moving forward, he definitely has a big future.
“Those are the two men that I’ve chosen to look out for this year.”
Comments on RugbyPass
as much as the challenge cup is a bit of a nothing competition, winning it would still mean something. last year it was won by toulon, who are now something like 4th in the top 14? The year before it was won by Lyon a season before they finished 3rd in the league. The year before that the final was contested by Montpellier and Leicester - 12 months before they both became domestic champions. That should give Gloucester fans some hope.
1 Go to commentsgreat article - although I can’t help wonder whether the more relevant debate over coming years will be between Ford and Fin Smith!
1 Go to commentsMaking Scott Barrett captain might be a masterstroke….will calm him down & stop brain fades and also take pressure off Ardie, so he can just play his natural monster game. Lets see how that all pans out🧐
8 Go to commentsI’m surprised Scotland are planning to rest key players this summer - I don’t think any other tier 1 nation will be doing the same?
1 Go to commentsGreat analysis Brett and what a shame that RA haven't spent more on the tight five instead. BTW I see the latest 8-9 Combo has dropped, looking forward to that. It's incredible the amount of damage that Hamish and Eddie's egos did in such a short space of time. From memory Eddie drove the initial drive to poach league stars way back in the 00s, with community rugby paying the price in reduced funding. Australia went from 15% of its income being spent on community rugby in 2002 to 2.4% in 2015, sheer madness and look where they are now. Hamish reminds me of Scrappy Doo. Always mouthing off, spoiling for a fight with bigger dogs who'd eat him alive. Sadly RA didn't have a Scooby Doo to bail him out.
9 Go to comments*_“I love watching bone-shuddering tackles, brutal clear-outs, monster ball carries, and crushingly intense scrummaging. I love it. These things make my heart rate spike. These aren’t the only things I love about rugby, but I feel no need to pretend I don’t love them, or to apologise for loving them just in case someone thinks I shouldn’t.”_* beautifully put Flats🔥
3 Go to comments“Hidden comments” all over the place😂 Turlough’s been a busy little boy ey🤭
74 Go to commentsit’ll all be released in an autobiography a few years from now….. “Razor shafted me” blah blah blah. thinking of making Scott Barrett captain might be a good move. Could calm down his brain fades & make him an even better player for them
3 Go to commentsSadly he played far too many games too young. England and France really do need to look after their younger players better.
1 Go to commentsHaving finally been able to watch the first Chasing the Sun (thanks RugbyPass!) - because I refuse to pay DSTV's extortionate monthly fee in SA - after four years, it was amazing to see Mapimpi's story as well as seeing my personal hero, Rassie, breaking down when telling it. There _is_ hope for the country, but only once we've got rid of the crooked and incompetent ANC (and others) who have set out to destroy it. Viva Rassie, viva Kolisi viva rugby!
1 Go to commentsWhether true or not, all the best to you Sam Cane. A warrior of a player and a loyal servant to the ABs! Go get you some yen and have some fun.
3 Go to commentsThe game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
39 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
115 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
9 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
4 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
4 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
1 Go to commentsSaturday was last straw. Terrible record in Premiership since Jan 23. Capitulation against Bath at home. There are 3 conclusions. Players aren't good enough. Coaching team aren't good enough or combination of both.
2 Go to commentsAs you say in your article Brett, the point was Hamish and his vanity - plain and simple. The crazy bit is that sua’ali’i has to be probably twice the player of mark N, no easy feat, just for RA to get their money's worth!?! And as you say, tahs aren't short of wingers, props on the other hand id like to see $1.6m spent on. I still shake my head at the absolute carry on in the media and comments section around the boon of getting sua’ali’i and the revenue it'd generate. It was all such hogwash imo and short sighted, real sugar hit stuff. And wasnt Waugh (and others) on the board at the time this money was spent? You say silver bullet, I'd say sugar hit but without the flavour.
9 Go to comments