'We're after specialists': Foster issues challenge to David Havili
After what’s felt like a lifetime of knocking on the All Blacks selection door, David Havili has finally earned himself a recall to the national squad and will start his first test match on Saturday evening.
Havili debuted for New Zealand in 2017 but hasn’t earned a call-up since, featuring off the bench in three tests against Argentina, South Africa and Australia while also earning run-on roles in mid-week matches against a France XV and the Barbarians.
Back then, Havili was viewed primarily as a fullback who could cover wing. In recent times, the 26-year-old has reinvented himself as second five-eighth – but is still more than capable of slotting in across the backline.
With the enviable depth the All Blacks have possessed in the back three over the past few years, Havili was always at short odds to force his way back into a squad of fully fit players, with the likes of Ben Smith, Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett and Jordie Barrett all blocking Havili’s path.
In 2020 however, his form was undeniable, and a call-up was looking likely until a run of unlucky injuries curtailed Havili’s hopes of higher honours.
Having flourised in the midfield for the Crusaders throughout the just-finished Super Rugby season – and staying injury-free – Havili has finally found himself back in the All Blacks and is now competing with the likes of Quinn Tupaea and the injured Anton Lienert-Brown for a starting jersey.
This weekend Havili will get the chance to prove he has the capabilities to line up in the centres on the game’s highest stage, with Fiji’s sizeable midfielders likely to test both his skills and physicality.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has acknowledged that while Havili can slip in across the backline, it’s in the No 12 jersey where they want to test his abilities.
“It’s the opportunity he’s got in front of him right now,” Foster said after naming the All Blacks tam to take on Fiji on Thursday.
“We’ll just take one step at a time but it’s where he played this year, he played well, got him selected and that’s for the jersey we’ve given him. So we’ll just deal with that one at the moment.”
At some point in time, Ian Foster just have to give in – because David Havili has never stopped banging on that #AllBlacks door. @crusadersrugby #SuperRugbyAotearohttps://t.co/pJnuI0VHnF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 13, 2021
And while Havili’s versatility might come in use down the track, particularly when the All Blacks travel to France in 2023 for the next World Cup, the challenge at the moment is very much to just nail one role.
“Quite honestly, when it comes to a World Cup squad, [versatility] becomes a big factor because you’re limited to fewer players and your replacement protocols are different,” Foster said. “But when you’re picking a squad in-between years, you’re really looking at people who can really have an edge in a position that’s going to contribute to your game. So versatility’s not really a factor in [selecting] our backline.
“If you look at it, we’ve got a lot of players, you’ve got Rieko who can go midfield, outside, you’ve got Jordie who can do a whole lot of things, we’ve got Beaudie who can go 10, 15. So we’ve got a number of players who are versatile. For us, we’re after specialists primarily.”
Foster also admitted he was hugely pleased with how well Havili took to the No 12 jersey during the Super Rugby season.
“I wouldn’t say I was surprised because he’s always been a quality rugby player,” said Foster. “He was out of contention for us last year because he had a pretty horrific incident at the end of Super Rugby and so he lost an opportunity last year. I’m just more delighted than surprised with how he’s gone about it and how he’s focussed on his job.
“He’s always been skilful and I thought in Super Rugby we saw him go through phases of learning how to deal with the physical side of midfield but I thought by the end of it he did a pretty good job of it, hence he’s here.”
Havili will partner Rieko Ioane in the midfield on Saturday night, with the match set to kick off at 7:05pm NZT from Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Comments on RugbyPass
Super 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?
8 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.
9 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.
8 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.
22 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 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 commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments