Blues 2020

kiwiinmelb

@Kirwan said in Blues 2020:

That also explains why Black has been playing 10. Seems to be well handled by all involved.

Yep for sure , the void at 15 will be far easier to fill than if they structured things around him playing 10.

Makes perfect sense now

Winger

@Kirwan said in Blues 2020:

That also explains why Black has been playing 10. Seems to be well handled by all involved.

It would have made more sense for Barrett to stay with the Canes until after his year in Japan. Unless he was unimpressed with the coaching he was getting in Wellington (very likely even though he made all the right noises when he moved). But now hes stuck at FB when maybe he would be better focusing on 1st 5. Whereas the Blues would be silly to move Blacdk to the reserves

Duluth

@Winger said in Blues 2020:

Unless he was unimpressed with the coaching he was getting in Wellington (very likely even though he made all the right noises when he moved)

Or possibly he decided to live in Auckland for family reasons and then decided the commute was a little far

trodthesod

Exactly.

ACT Crusader

Carter looking good in his club game so far.

Machpants

@ACT-Crusader you'd hope hte world's best ten ever, highest test point scorer and multi World Player of the year would look good in a club game haha

ACT Crusader

@Machpants sure, but never a guarantee when test players go down a few levels that they will dominate or even play well.

Dice

Duluth

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300049327/blues-vow-blockbusting-no-8-hoskins-sotutu-is-going-nowhere-despite-offshore-interest

sparky

@Duluth Looks like a Hoskins Sotutu is going to sign a new deal with the Blues on Monday.

Stargazer

FYI, Tony Lamborn played club rugby for his Hawke's Bay club Havelock North, today.

KiwiMurph

Sotutu has signed a 2 year extension at the Blues - 2021 and 2022 season locked in

https://blues.rugby/fast-developing-sotutu-to-extend-time-with-the-blues/

FAST-DEVELOPING SOTUTU TO EXTEND TIME WITH THE BLUES
06 JUL 2020

Fast-developing loose forward Hoskins Sotutu will remain at the Blues until at least 2022.

The 21-year-old Sotutu has added a further two years to his initial contract after joining the Blues in 2019, having come through the organisation’s development programme, playing for Auckland and New Zealand Under-20s.

He has been a standout in Investec Super Rugby this year with nearly 500m in carries, an average of around 50m per game, and is currently fourth highest in this part of the game in the Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa statistics.

He averages over eight tackles per game and is currently top of the tackle count in Super Rugby Aotearoa with 38 in three games.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald said Sotutu has been one of the team stand-outs so far this season.

“He has a unique skillset which is well-rounded. He has set-up tries with his kicking and with accurate missed passes yet he can do the core roles of carrying hard, offloading, making his tackles and an asset in the lineout,” said MacDonald.

“Hoskins got his chance with the work he did pre-season and has continued to deliver game-in, game-out, and he is developing from a very quiet teenager to a real contributor off the field also.

“He has come out of the Blues and Auckland systems and if he continues to develop with the same attitude, he can look forward to a long and successful career with us.”

MacDonald said Sotutu had initially indicated his desire to re-sign earlier but the Covid-19 lockdown had stalled the formalities.

Sotutu played several sports as a young teenager before taking the advice of his father, former Fiji, Blues and Auckland back Waisake Sotutu, to “give rugby a good shot” when he was 17, playing two years for the Sacred Heart College 1st XV.

He began his rugby life as a winger, like his father, moving to lock, and even first-five for club in his first year out of school, before settling at No 8.

“I have signed for two more years with the Blues which is great,” said Sotutu. “My goals are for the Blues to kick-on in this competition how we left off before Covid-19, keep the team strong and help them continue to improve.

“It is all about the team for me. I don’t like to look too far ahead. I like to focus on the team I am playing for.”

The Blues expect to finalise other contract extensions before the end of the competiti

sparky

@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:

Sotutu has signed a 2 year extension at the Blues - 2021 and 2022 season locked in

https://blues.rugby/fast-developing-sotutu-to-extend-time-with-the-blues/

FAST-DEVELOPING SOTUTU TO EXTEND TIME WITH THE BLUES
06 JUL 2020

Fast-developing loose forward Hoskins Sotutu will remain at the Blues until at least 2022.

The 21-year-old Sotutu has added a further two years to his initial contract after joining the Blues in 2019, having come through the organisation’s development programme, playing for Auckland and New Zealand Under-20s.

He has been a standout in Investec Super Rugby this year with nearly 500m in carries, an average of around 50m per game, and is currently fourth highest in this part of the game in the Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa statistics.

He averages over eight tackles per game and is currently top of the tackle count in Super Rugby Aotearoa with 38 in three games.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald said Sotutu has been one of the team stand-outs so far this season.

“He has a unique skillset which is well-rounded. He has set-up tries with his kicking and with accurate missed passes yet he can do the core roles of carrying hard, offloading, making his tackles and an asset in the lineout,” said MacDonald.

“Hoskins got his chance with the work he did pre-season and has continued to deliver game-in, game-out, and he is developing from a very quiet teenager to a real contributor off the field also.

“He has come out of the Blues and Auckland systems and if he continues to develop with the same attitude, he can look forward to a long and successful career with us.”

MacDonald said Sotutu had initially indicated his desire to re-sign earlier but the Covid-19 lockdown had stalled the formalities.

Sotutu played several sports as a young teenager before taking the advice of his father, former Fiji, Blues and Auckland back Waisake Sotutu, to “give rugby a good shot” when he was 17, playing two years for the Sacred Heart College 1st XV.

He began his rugby life as a winger, like his father, moving to lock, and even first-five for club in his first year out of school, before settling at No 8.

“I have signed for two more years with the Blues which is great,” said Sotutu. “My goals are for the Blues to kick-on in this competition how we left off before Covid-19, keep the team strong and help them continue to improve.

“It is all about the team for me. I don’t like to look too far ahead. I like to focus on the team I am playing for.”

The Blues expect to finalise other contract extensions before the end of the competiti

Hard luck, Eddie.

Gunner

But did Sotutu cut his ties with Fiji first?

Tim

nzzp

@Tim amazing how players want to play in a fun, winning environment eh

Kirwan

@nzzp said in Blues 2020:

@Tim amazing how players want to play in a fun, winning environment eh

With coaches that improve their skills.

Bones

Yeah look at all those really young players signing for a whole two years. Come on...four or five years eh! Never fails.

Machpants

@Bones said in Blues 2020:

Yeah look at all those really young players signing for a whole two years. Come on...four or five years eh! Never fails.

Two years to make the abs,, otherwise overseas cash beckons, that's why they do it

Bones

@Machpants said in Blues 2020:

@Bones said in Blues 2020:

Yeah look at all those really young players signing for a whole two years. Come on...four or five years eh! Never fails.

Two years to make the abs,, otherwise overseas cash beckons, that's why they do it

Thanks, I'm new to rugby 😁

The Silver Fern

Blues 2020