'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
This 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….
12 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….
77 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!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
12 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
12 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.
12 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.
12 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
12 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?
12 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to comments