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'We were trying to build the best combo in the country': Highlanders star Aaron Smith's devastation over Folau Fakatava injury
Highlanders co-captain Aaron Smith has revealed he is “brutally disappointed” for rising Highlanders star Folau Fakatava following his season-ending knee injury.
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Fakatava limped from the field during his side’s shock 33-12 win over the Crusaders in Christchurch a fortnight ago with an injury that was later revealed to be a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
The 21-year-old has subsequently been ruled out of action for between nine-to-12 months in what has been a bitter blow for the Highlanders and All Blacks.
Fakatava, a dynamic ball-carrier who is uncompromising defensively, is widely-regarded as Smith’s long-term successor for both teams and had been a standout for the Highlanders in the lead-up to his season-ending injury.
Regardless of whether he started or came off the bench, Fakatava worked well in tandem with Smith, who is renowned for his world-class distribution and unparalleled energy, to deliver a one-two punch of contrasting styles in their first five matches of the season.
Speaking to Sky Sport following the Highlanders’ 35-29 victory over the Blues in Dunedin on Friday, Smith said he and Fakatava were trying to make their combination the best in New Zealand, which is why he was “really gutted” for the promising youngster.
“To be honest, I’m brutally disappointed that Folau got hurt,” Smith said when asked what the motivation has been behind his impressive personal performances this season after masterminding his side’s win against the Blues.
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“I thought our little combo we were building was great. I thought we were kinda trying to build the best combo in the country as two No 9s, whoever started or would finish the game.
“Really gutted for Folau, and I just love this team. It’s not over. We’ve got a week off. We need to refresh and then we’ve got to go up to the Hurricanes.”
Fakatava’s injury blow is even more cruel given that his lengthy spell on the sideline is set to make him ineligible to represent the All Blacks until 2023 under World Rugby’s new residency laws.
The game’s global governing body is extending the residency period required to make foreign players eligible for their adopted nation from three years to five years, an law alteration which will come into effect on December 31, 2021.
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Although Fakatava moved from Tonga to New Zealand on a rugby scholarship in 2016, World Rugby’s guidelines state that the residency period doesn’t begin until the player’s 18th birthday.
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has confirmed the side are in talks to bring All Blacks star TJ Perenara to the NRL club to help solve their injury crisis. #NRL #SydneyRoosters #AllBlacks https://t.co/NarOCvL528
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 16, 2021
Fakatava’s 18th birthday fell on December 16, 2017, meaning, under World Rugby’s current three-year residency law, he has been eligible to play for the All Blacks since last December.
However, given the length of his injury, Fakatava won’t be able to play for the New Zealand national side before World Rugby extends its residency requirements to five years at the end of this year.
That means Fakatava won’t be eligible to play for the All Blacks until December 2022, by which point the national team’s next test match would likely be scheduled for July 2023 – just two months out from that year’s World Cup in France.
Fakatava’s agent, Kent Hale, confirmed his client’s situation to Stuff earlier this week, but was hopeful an appeal from New Zealand Rugby could make the halfback exempt from the residency extension given he has lived in the country since 2016.
“He’s got an injury and is booked into surgery. I’m sure there might be a bit that goes on behind the scenes with NZ Rugby, the Highlanders and potentially the All Blacks, but his focus is the injury,” Hale told Stuff.
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“He’s got a bit of work to do prior to the operation to gibe him self the best possible chance to get back out onto the field.
“The last thing we want to be doing is ramming that [eligibility discussion] down his throat when the injury is still so fresh.”
The Highlanders, meanwhile, have moved into third place on the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings following their season-reviving win over the Blues.
With 14 points to their name, the Dunedin-based franchise sit just one point behind the second-placed Blues, who currently occupy one of the two qualifying spots for a ticket in the competition’s final on May 8.
However, the Blues have a game in hand over their southern rivals, as do the fourth-placed Chiefs, who sit two points behind the Highlanders ahead of their crunch match with the league-leading Crusaders in Hamilton on Saturday.
The Highlanders will have a bye next week before travelling to Wellington to face off against the Hurricanes in their final regular season match of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments