Angus has no beef as the game moves on

I’ve always backed myself on being a mobile prop who can play with the ball. I’ve tried to express that over time and as the game has changed it’s worked out better for me. Angus Ta’avao

Sport is constantly evolving, and recent trends in rugby have benefited Angus Ta’avao in a big way.

With the game shifting toward on open, free-running style of play, mobile props have become an asset to teams looking for a point of difference. With Ta’avao having plenty of ability with ball in hand in open play, he has been able to embrace the shift more than many.

As a result, he earned a spot in the All Blacks 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup, and selection he admits was aided by the changing needs of props in today’s game.

Speaking to the Radio Sport Breakfast, Ta’avao admitted changes to the game worked in his favour, but didn’t take away from what a prop’s primary responsibility is on the pitch.

“I’ve always backed myself on being a mobile prop who can play with the ball. I’ve tried to express that over time and as the game has changed it’s worked out better for me.

“A lot of people are saying going for these mobile props is almost discrediting our scrimmaging. Scrummaging is our first role and I’d back the guys that are picked in there to do their core role first. We’re not chumps in there, we’ve developed a lot and then we add the mobility, ball carrying and all that sort of thing, but it’s core roles first.”

Ta’avao was one of three Chiefs props named in the squad, alongside Atu Moli and Nepo Laulala, with Crusaders stalwart Joe Moody and Blues’ Ofa Tu’ungafasi rounding out the prop stocks.

The 29-year-old watched the announcement at home with family and said it was hard not to keep track of where his name might fall as the squad was listed. It was a particularly nervous wait for Ta’avao, with the prop spots being among the most tightly contested.

“You sort of know there’s about six or seven props going for five spots. You sort of know where everyone else is and me being T, I was just before Ofa so one of the last props to be named. You sort of keep any eye out, but even then nothing’s really guaranteed until your name is read out.

“Once it was read out it’s just a rush of emotion and just bloody exciting.”

Many expected Ta’avao and Moli to likely be the two fighting for one spot in the squad, but instead it was veteran tighthead Owen Franks who was left out.

Ta’avao said he was just as surprised as everyone when the announcement, which was made in alphabetical order, jumped straight from Ryan Crotty to Jack Goodhue.

“I was just shocked really. He’s been a massive part of the All Blacks and has a great legacy, but I suppose how [head coach] Steve [Hansen] and the selectors have seen it, like what they said with the props, it’s a massive opportunity for me.”