Ardie ‘made for rugby league’
Ardie Savea is powerful, fast, fit and young enough to be a force to be reckoned with in rugby league.
That’s according to former Warriors stars Sione Faumuina and Monty Betham, who said the All Blacks’ potential code switch could open the floodgates for other athletes to cross over.
On Monday Savea revealed on The Ice Project podcast, hosted by former Warriors halfback Isaac John, he was keen to join ex-all Blacks team-mate Sonny Bill Williams in trying his hand in the NRL.
It sent shock waves across the New Zealand and Australian sports landscape, but Betham wasn’t as blindsided by the news.
"I spoke to Ardie recently in Wellington, and we talked about it [an NRL switch] a bit so I figured it was only a matter of time before this came out,’’ Betham told Stuff.
‘‘I could see in his eyes the passion was real, and it’s amazing for rugby league that a beast like Ardie wants to come across and challenge himself. He’s a physical freak and, I believe, made to play rugby league.’’
Faumuina was also quick to endorse the potential switch.
‘‘It’s awesome, good on Ardie for speaking the truth. The potential for change that a move like this could have is crazy,’’ he said.
‘‘You see it [code-hopping] at schoolboy level already. A lot of 1st XV players are switching to league, but it’s rarely seen – since Sonny – at this level.
‘‘Ardie is an All Black in his prime and he wants to play in the NRL. That’s massive for rugby league.’’
Savea is not only one of the biggest names in rugby union, he’s also one of the best players, period.
The Hurricanes flanker was named All Blacks player of the year and Super Rugby player of the year at the last NZ Rugby awards.
And with Savea still only 26, Faumuina is predicting a similar impact in the 13-man game.
A former back-rower himself, he said Savea’s best position would be playing outside of the middle third.
‘‘I see him playing on an edge, and dominating there,’’ he said.
‘‘Ardie is so fast, he has really good footwork too. He’d be such a handful for a sliding defensive line because of his power through contact – he carries players on his back in rugby already.’’
Betham agreed, but felt defensively he might be better suited to playing in a bit tighter.
‘‘The subtleties of the game would be the only area I could see him struggle in. He would figure that out pretty quick,’’ Betham said.
‘‘He can put a shot on so I’d be more inclined to play him in a bit tighter initially, just because it’s a whole different ball game defending on an edge in league. But he’s certainly capable.’’
Faumuina felt the ‘‘different fitness’’ in rugby league could take some getting used to also. But backed the All Black to make the necessary adjustments.
Savea also revealed his preferred NRL landing spots would be either the Sydney Roosters or Melbourne Storm – despite Betham trying to convince him to join the Warriors.
Stuff approached both clubs for comment.
The Storm said they would not get involved in player contract conjecture, while the Roosters have yet to respond.
Coach Gary Stead hailed it the most accurate Black Caps bowling performance he’d seen, a big part of that due to getting the band back together.
Not quite the familiar and successful three-piece, with Neil Wagner absent on paternity leave, but the dynamic duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult who snared 14 Indian wickets between them to spark a dominant firsttest victory over the world’s No 1 side in Wellington.
The 10-wicket win, with five sessions to spare, was New Zealand’s 100th in test cricket and for man of the match Southee and his great mate Boult, their 30th test victories apiece.
Nearly all of those have been as New Zealand’s new ball duo, and the eerie similarity of their statistics underlines their status as the country’s most effective bowling combination.
In winning Black Caps test teams, Southee has 147 wickets at 21.91, with four bags of five wickets. Boult has one fewer wicket, 146 at a slightly lower average of 21.49, also with four instances of five wickets in an innings.
Since January 2017, Southee and Boult have combined in 15 tests for 11 victories and just two defeats – to Sri Lanka at Galle in August then Australia in the Boxing Day test when Boult suffered a broken hand which sidelined him until this latest win at the Basin Reserve.
‘‘I can’t speak highly enough of the bowling unit and the way they went about taking 20 wickets on a pitch that had a little bit in it the whole time. It’s one of our most accurate performances I’ve seen with the ball,’’ Stead said.
Asked if he was surprised how quickly India’s powerhouse batting lineup capitulated for 165 and 191, Stead said: ‘‘It was a bit of a