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New Zealanders make up a great deal of the foreign players plying their trade in the UK and France. Some are big names, some aren’t – and some even ended up making the test side of the country they’ve ended up in.
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Here’s the five best performers of the year.
Bundee Aki (Connacht, Ireland)
Is that Bundee O’Aki who has been carving up for Connacht and now Ireland?
It is indeed the 27-year-old former Steelers and Chiefs midfielder. He has made the right career move. After all, there was little hope of him becoming an All Black if he had opted to stay in New Zealand.
Aki was a big part of Connacht’s historic PRO12 championship victory in 2015-16, and now he hopes to be the next Gordon D’Arcy after announcing his test arrival for Ireland with a jarring tackle in the opening play of the November clash with the Springboks. Since, then he has given Connacht coach Kieran Keane and, of course, Joe Schmidt, cause to smile with his muscular, accurate play.
Furthermore, you have love that Aki is combining with former Hurricane Pita Ahki in the Connacht midfield.
Victor Vito (La Rochelle, France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj0En8EadGo
At 30, Victor Vito should be just about coming into the prime of a career that has promised so much.
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He will not need reminding that were he still in New Zealand, he would be the next No 8 off the cab rank behind Kieran Read in a position where the nation lacks quality depth.
Now into his second season with ambitious, Kiwi-laden French club La Rochelle, Vito is a key man at the back of the scrum and, on one occasion, in the No 7 jersey. His lineout prowess, ball skills and physicality make him a highly valued commodity in the French game.
Said to be the highest paid New Zealand forward in the Top 14, Vito made such an impact in his first season in 2016-17 that he was adjudged the competition’s player of the year. He is in the running again as he plays a prominent part in La Rochelle’s high-flying status in the Top 14 and Champions Cup.
Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets, Wales)
Last season Hadleigh Parkes was probably the best Kiwi pro in Wales.
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Parkes is still playing consistently and has now won a Welsh cap. But his Kiwi teammate at Scarlets, Johnny McNicholl, is also showing his considerable wares to telling effect and could also wear the Wales jersey when he qualifies.
Coach Wayne Pivac always admired McNicholl’s work ethic when he used to carve up for Canterbury. Now, operating mainly on the right wing to accommodate Leigh Halfpenny, McNicholl has scored a clutch of tries and looks to be thriving in the Scarlets’ open style of play. Some of his long range breaks and tries are reminiscent of his work with the red and blacks.
Charlie Piutau (Ulster, Ireland)
They reckon Charlie Piutau never has an off-day.
That is a good thing when you command a mammoth salary, but is also a clear indication that Piutau, still just 26, may yet have some of his best rugby ahead of him. The former All Black is doing the business for Ulster in the PRO14 and Champions Cup, but from 2018-19 will be joining his brother Siale and coach Pat Lam at Bristol.
The tries are not flowing for Piutau at Ulster, but he is racking up big minutes and compelling allround stats, including six try assists and 51 defenders beaten in his 12 appearances this season. Sounds like he is earning his corn.
Tony Ensor (Stade Francais, France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF4wlPL2FQA
Tony Who? I can hear some of you exclaiming.
Why, 26-year-old Tony Ensor of Kaikorai and Otago fame, who played 34 games for Otago until 2016, of course. He is joining a select list of unheralded New Zealanders who have made Stade Francais their home on the back of high quality performances. Think back to Cliff Mytton in 1997-98. The former North Harbour second five did the donkey work in a galaxy of stars.
Ensor has chimed in fruitfully from fullback for the struggling Parisians. He is their leading tryscorer, so is already proving popular at Stade Jean Bouin, where Greg Cooper is one of the coaches.
That is the thing about plying your trade in Europe. If you do your job well, always front up and rarely get injured, your club and its fans will love you. Ensor is the embodiment of the good Kiwi pro in Europe.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
13 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to comments