Luatua ‘stoked’ to be in Bristol
Steven Luatua doesn’t do regrets, especially not when he’s as happy as he is right now in the unlikely rugby hotbed of Bristol.
The 26-year-old, 15-test former All Black has been getting some positive press of late out of the New Zealand camp, which is ironic because it was probably his lack of traction in the national team that pushed him towards a move to the English scene in the first place.
The Aucklander was a standout in last weekend’s gallant Barbarians effort at Twickenham to push Steve Hansen’s mostly second-string All Blacks lineup to a largely unimpressive 31-22 victory.
He took two big intercepts, the first of which set up George Bridge’s first try, and the second which was only snuffed out by some quality backtracking defence from Beauden Barrett. Beyond that he was physical and active and close to the second best Baabaa on display, behind the standout Kwagga Smith.
Afterwards Hansen remarked that ‘‘everyone got a taste of why we didn’t want him to go [to Bristol]’’ and said ‘‘he played well’’.
It wasn’t lost on Luatua, who only played one test since winning his 14th cap in 2014, that there was a certain irony in Hansen lauding his qualities now. But he said he had no misgivings about joining Pat Lam’s promotion-seeking Championship-leading club.
‘‘Definitely not. I’ve had some questions here and there, with the majority of my family being back home, but I have no regrets. Bristol has been very good to me and I’m grateful for the opportunity they have given me.’’
Bristol lead the Championship with a 7-0 record as they seek to return to the top flight in time to welcome New Zealand’s Charles Piatau next season as the game’s highest paid player. Luatua, meantime, is having himself a merry old time.
‘‘We’re winning, but not winning pretty. I’m enjoying it. I’m just real stoked with Bristol. It’s a city and community with a vision for Bristol sport, and I think it’s somewhere I could make a home for a while.’’
He also loved his time with the Baabaas, and especially the chance to experience the All Blacks from the other side of the fence.
‘‘What an experience to go up against the haka from front on. Knowing what it stands for, it was pretty special to be facing it. Straight after I turned to some of the boys and said ‘oh, so that’s what it feels like’.
‘‘It was also great take the field with some guys I’ve admired for a lot of years, like Adriaan Strauss, and see his calmness and the way he goes about it. It was good to have The Bus on our side too.’’
As for the intercepts, he said they showed ‘‘I’m more a 20 or 50-metre guy. I might have picked them off a bit early. But I credit them to the style of defence we play at Bristol. It’s new to me, and I’m still learning it, but it’s definitely fun.’’