Latest news with #Sotutu
The South African
7 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
BaaBaas recruit All Black rejects for Springbok showdown
The Barbarians have reportedly brought in two prime All Blacks stars for Saturday's Qatar Cup clash against the Springboks in Cape Town. Mark Telea and Hoskins Sotutu arrived with the Barbarians in Cape Town ahead of their historic clash with the Springboks at Cape Town Stadium. This after the duo failed to make the All Blacks squad for the mid-year Test series against France. Telea and Sotutu, fresh off a dominant Super Rugby campaign with the Blues — where they combined for 21 tries – touched down in the Mother City alongside several international standouts. A social media post showed them arriving with fellow New Zealanders Tawera Kerr-Barlow and veteran lock Sam Whitelock, as well as Uruguayan scrumhalf Santiago Arata and France hooker Camille Chat. Whitelock, 36, joins the Barbarians as an assistant coach. He holds the record for the most Rugby World Cup appearances (26) and played in three finals during a decorated 153-Test career. His last appearance for the Barbarians came in their 45-32 win over Fiji in 2023. Telea, known for his elusive running and finishing ability, has scored 13 tries in 19 Tests for the All Blacks and will be a key attacking threat. Sotutu, meanwhile, continues to build a reputation as one of the most powerful back-rowers in the game. Barbarians coach Robbie Deans has already assembled a strong squad featuring Irish greats Peter O'Mahony, Cian Healy, and Conor Murray, along with All Blacks loose forwards Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell. The Springboks will host the Barbarians on South African soil for the first time, with the Cape Town clash marking the ninth meeting between the two sides. Their last encounter ended in a thrilling 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in 2016. The match promises to be a showcase of international talent and flair, with the Barbarians bringing their trademark attacking style to face Rassie Erasmus' disciplined and physical Springbok side. WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE MATCH BETWEEN THE BARBARIANS AND SPRINGBOKS? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Reuters
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Unwanted by All Blacks, Sotutu cast eyes abroad but is now focused on boosting Blues
April 2 (Reuters) - Overlooked by All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, Hoskins Sotutu explored a move abroad last year but says he is now focusing on helping the struggling Auckland Blues turn their season around in Super Rugby Pacific. The 26-year-old loose forward played the last of his 14 tests in 2022 and will be eligible to switch allegiance to either England or Fiji in November when he fulfils World Rugby's three-year stand-down rule. Sotutu won Super Rugby's Player of the Year during the Blues' championship season last year but was frustrated to miss out on a place in Robertson's first All Blacks squads. With a potential path to England through his mother, there was talk of a meeting between Sotutu and England coach Steve Borthwick to discuss a switch. Sotutu denied having any direct conversation with Borthwick but said his agent had been put to work. "When I didn't make the All Blacks last year, the immediate reaction was to explore and think about it," Sotutu told the New Zealand Herald. "I can't say I had a chat (with Borthwick), but my agent went to work and explored options." While missing out on the All Blacks, Sotutu was offered a place in the second-tier All Blacks XV squad for matches against Munster and Georgia last November. He pulled out of the tour to have knee surgery and may have missed another chance to return for New Zealand when injuries struck Robertson's squad. In Sotutu's absence, loose forwards Peter Lakai and Du'Plessis Kirifi were called up to the All Blacks squad, with Lakai playing against Japan and France on the season-ending tour of the Northern Hemisphere. Sotutu is under contract with New Zealand Rugby through to the end of 2026 but said he had not had much "chat" with All Blacks staff. "The All Blacks is something I can't control. I don't even think about it that much anymore," added the Blues number eight. "At the beginning of my career, I put pressure on myself for that, but now I'm more focused on the Blues in that sense." Coming off a bye round, the defending champion Blues are second-bottom on the table with one win from their first six games as they head into Saturday's home match against the Hurricanes. They will hope to have Sotutu at his best to turn things round. "We need to find our mojo again and get some belief back in the group," he said.
