'When we're not performing on the field, it makes sense to suffer criticism' - Kaino on the Savea fall-out
Jerome Kaino believes the criticisms in France about the club form of fellow Kiwis Aaron Cruden and Julian Savea are justified.
However, the Toulouse back row claims Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal crossed a line with his personalised attack on Savea.
Asked in the Friday print edition of Midi Olympique if the criticisms regarding Cruden’s and Savea’s form this season were justified, Kaino accepted that how a player plays should always be a topic up for discussion.
“Of course. They [the criticisms] are not too harsh from the moment they relate to the level of play. We practice a high level sport where, when we are not performing on the field, it makes sense to suffer criticism.
“We must accept it. I only think that when the family can be impacted, that’s too much. The limit is the personal aspect,” explained Savea, who jumped to Savea’s defence after his former All Black colleague was publicly savaged by his employer.
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“I did not want to interfere in this story because it does not involved me and I do not know all the details. But I just wanted to support Julian and his family, because his family was affected by the critics.”
Former Toulon winger Bryan Habana also weighed in on the debate in the same edition of the bi-weekly French rugby newspaper.
“As a player from Toulon, you have to learn to go beyond what the president says,” he suggested, reflecting on the row that blew up surrounding the calibre of performances Savea is producing in his first season in the Top 14.
“It’s easy to be in support of the team when it wins, it should also be done when it is in trouble. These outings are not pleasant for any player,” said Habana, who won multiple trophies with the club before it went into decline.
“Nobody comes to Toulon to play badly. When they lack confidence and results, it is disappointing to see that their environment does not support them. In these events, players must remain welded, grouped. But all this interference from the outside does not help them.”
While Savea and Toulon have a weekend off as they failed to survive their European pool campaign, Kaino is heading for Paris with Toulouse and an all-French quarter-final against Racing 92. He can’t wait for the heavyweight contest to unfold.
?? Les Stadistes sont arrivés à Paris !
Voyage ??
? J-2 avant le 1/4 de finale de @ChampionsCup face au @racing92 ! #R92ST ?? pic.twitter.com/cUTMQnB6LB— Stade Toulousain (@StadeToulousain) March 29, 2019
“All matches are important, but this one is especially important,” he said. “Since my arrival, my obsession is to take Toulouse where it should be. In the Champions Cup, it means to be in the final or semi-finals, but for that you have to pass this quarter. I have looked forward to it for weeks. I feed on these kinds of challenges.
“You only have to look at the names of the opponents, all those internationals in the camp opposite to understand. The European Cup is known in New Zealand. We usually see the finals or big games since the days of the Heineken Cup.
“All the countrymen with whom I had spoken told me that they loved this competition, that it was close to the international level. That’s why I knew, before signing at Toulouse, the wealth and success of this club on the European scene.
'This is a massive game, particularly for the integrity of French rugby in this tournament'
– @jimhamilton4 sets the scene for the all-France Champions Cup quarter-final in Paris ?? https://t.co/nUmw6tZIMY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 29, 2019
“It is also one of the main reasons for my coming. Other All Blacks before me participated in its success. I hope it will be my turn. I know this competition has a lot of value here.”
Set to turn 36 on April 6, Kaino revealed he is still unsure if the 2019/20 season will be his last playing the sport. “I’ve no idea. Never say never. The only thing I know is that my contract ends at the end of next season.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments