10 to watch in Super Rugby
and like any classic halfback, he loves a quick, darting run around the ruck.
All Black Brad Weber is the incumbent Chiefs halfback but Roe can certainly push Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, who played three tests in 2018, for a spot in the 23.
CRUSADERS Chay Fihaki (Canterbury)
Fihaki, the youngest player in the Crusaders squad, does not look short of confidence. Coach Scott Robertson describes him as ‘‘an incredibly skilful athlete who has the ability to create something from nothing’’, magic he will need to force his way into the team.
The 20-year-old outside back finished his debut season with Canterbury last year with a monstrous match-winning penalty goal to beat Auckland, the city of his birth, in the final seconds to save the red and blacks from relegation to the championship, subject to the Mitre 10 Cup’s format being retained.
Fihaki, who has Fijian heritage and has been in New Zealand’s under-20s programme, finished his education at Auckland’s
Sacred Heart College but ended up in Canterbury. Isaiah Punivai (Canterbury) Punivai turned 20 only last December, but his career has already included one famous try, which should feature in pub quizzes for years to come, and a controversial move, via a rugby scholarship, from Christ’s College in Christchurch to play for Auckland’s St Kentigern College First XV in his final school year.
The Canterbury midfielder, who was listed as an outside back when the squads were announced, gets his chance with the reigning champions after his Mitre 10 Cup debut last season.
The younger brother of Ngane Punivai, who left the Crusaders for the Highlanders last year, Isaiah made history with his match-winning try for Canterbury against Wellington last October, scoring the decisive points in extra time to snatch victory in the first golden point match in the national provincial competition.
Punivai captained the New Zealand secondary schools team and
Canterbury’s under-19s and has all the skills and talent to flourish in a successful Crusaders environment.
Cracking the Crusaders team will be a challenge given their depth in quality depth, but his versatility could work in his favour.
HIGHLANDERS Freedom Vahaakolo (Otago)
Vahaakolo wasn’t among the originally contracted players who signed last December, but his story is too compelling to ignore.
The Highlanders couldn’t ignore him either, offering the 23-year-old a short-term contract after an impressive debut season for Otago in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup.
The powerful winger from O¯ tara was homeless when he was 15 but reuniting with his family helped turn his life around before finishing school at Auckland Grammar.
‘‘I used to sleep in a bush in west Auckland,’’ he told the Sunday Star-Times last October. ‘‘I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I didn’t have people offer to help me.’’
Sam Gilbert, another Highlanders rookie, is recovering from a serious knee injury and that opened the door for Vahaakolo, who could get plenty of opportunities in the back three if Jona Nareki and Vilimoni Koroi are to commit to chasing a sevens gold medal at the Olympics.
Kazuki Himeno (Japan)
There are oodles of talented loose forwards in New Zealand, but the Highlanders must be certain that Himeno can make a telling impact, similar to his sensational performances for Japan in their historic World Cup campaign on home soil in 2019.
The Japanese test star, who can play across the back row, is in the deep south on a one-year deal and will certainly play with his heart on his sleeve.
The 26-year-old was a talismanic figure in Japan’s memorable run to the quarterfinals, when Tony Brown, the Highlanders coach, was an assistant to Jamie Joseph, and his dynamic style of play should make him a popular figure for fans and his team-mates.
He joins the Highlanders from Japanese Top League side Toyota Verblitz and should hit the ground running once he completes two weeks in managed isolation and trains with the squad from tomorrow, four days before they play the Crusaders.
That opener might be too soon for the lionhearted loose forward, who has secured a visa amid all the chaos caused by Covid-19, but he will be itching to get his chance to knock over Kiwi defenders like pinballs.
HURRICANES Luke Campbell (Bay of Plenty)
Campbell finally gets his crack at Super Rugby after five Mitre 10 Cup campaigns with Bay of Plenty and is returning home to Wellington, where he previously played First XV for Wellington College.
The 26-year-old halfback has been in wider Chiefs squads but never made the grade in Hamilton.
The Hurricanes have given Campbell his chance, more than four years after he left the capital, and he is set for an important role in the absence of Jamie Booth (broken leg) and TJ Perenara (Japan).
Ironically, it was new Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan who signed Campbell to Bay of Plenty in 2016. He has been a key figure in the province’s recent success, including their promotion to the premiership.
The Hurricanes’ No 9 jersey is up for grabs and Campbell will be competing for it with Jonathan Taumateine, who left the Chiefs for the Canes last year but hardly featured.
Ruben Love (Wellington)
Imagine being in a position to choose between a professional career in rugby or cricket. Like new Hurricanes team-mate Jordie Barrett, and Kaylum Boshier, the rookie Chiefs loose forward and younger brother of Lachlan, Love is another multi-talented sports star with that luxury. The 19-year-old is from Palmerston North and played First XV there, but he has moved to the capital for his sporting career.
He played for the New Zealand under-19 cricket team in 2019 but made his debut for Wellington in the Mitre 10 Cup the following year.
His decision to pick rugby over cricket looks a wise one because his transition into the Lions was seamless, playing fullback, but he is also a capable firstfive and was in the New Zealand Schools team, as well as New Zealand Ma¯ ori under-18s teams in rugby and cricket.
Otago rugby chairwoman Rowena Davenport says New Zealand Rugby has been asked explain exactly what Silver Lake will be taking out in its proposed $465 million investment into rugby, but has significantly indicated that ‘‘the case for investment has been developing over the past few years’’.
‘‘If we do have sympathy for the proposal it’s the case for change,’’ Davenport told the Sunday Star-Times.
‘‘It’s the case to reimagine rugby, and that’s something that no matter [how] NZ Rugby chooses to go about that, it does need to change.
‘‘They’ve built that case for change over the past 12-24 months and this is more about how to deliver that.’’
The proposed NZ RugbySilver Lake deal needs the support of a majority of the country’s provincial unions before it can proceed.
Stakeholders such as the players’ association will also play a key role, and NZRPA boss Rob Nichol has already expressed urged caution about the deal, telling NZME the ‘‘devil was absolutely in the detail’’.
The Star-Times has learnt that Silver Lake can exit its investment after a minimum of five years, while NZ Rugby has strong safeguards in place with regards to future buyers of the 15 per cent stake, but Davenport confirmed that NZ Rugby had also been quizzed about key areas that weren’t included in its initial presentation led by CEO Mark Robinson.
‘‘NZ Rugby certainly got that feedback on the roadshow and are coming back on a lot of that in the coming weeks,’’ she said.
‘‘A lot of it is around the expectations of a private equity partner and what that looks like, what sort of returns they will be seeking, exit strategies
and obviously understanding all the risks as well.’’
Nonetheless, Davenport – a strategy and treasury manager at MTF finance whose bread and butter is risk management and governance – said that there was already enough information to build a position on the Silver Lake proposal.
‘‘There’s sufficient detail there for us to understand what the intentions are and begin to form an opinion about making a decision,’’ she said.
‘‘I must say I haven’t discussed this with my board yet and these are my own takes on the roadshow.
‘‘Obviously, as a board we’ll decide we support this or not, but there is certainly enough detail to have discussion with my board and determine the way forward.
‘‘It’s not too early, based on the level of information we’ve got.’’
When contacted by the StarTimes, Southland CEO Steve
Mitchell played a straight bat, saying the matter was still ‘‘under consultation’’ as NZ Rugby went through the process of providing more information.
However, provincial unions throughout the country share many of the same challenges, and Davenport was pleased that part of NZ Rugby’s presentation focused on what the $465 million could do for the grassroots game.
‘‘The objective they [NZ Rugby] talked about was about the global reach of rugby now and how New Zealand can best position itself to capitalise on that global stage.
‘‘But to do that they need some capital injection. They did look at a number of investment structures and the proposal in front us was deemed to be the most beneficial.
‘‘There is obviously a lot more detail to learn [but] what I got comfort from was the narrative around the investment into the grassroots of the game, and that’s certainly important for us to understand that they have an objective around investing into the community game.’’
The provincial unions will cast their vote on the Silver Lake proposal at the NZ Rugby AGM in April.
Reassurances will need to be given about Silver Lake’s plan, but the bigger picture debate about the need for investment may have already been decided.
‘‘The global rugby landscape is evolving, and in my opinion the case for investment has been developing over the past few years,’’ Davenport said.
‘‘I will work with the ORFU, as will my counterparts and other stakeholders around the country, to determine if this proposal for capital investment will balance the short and longterm objectives for rugby in New Zealand and in the context of the global landscape.’’
‘‘It’s the case to reimagine rugby, and that’s something that no matter NZ Rugby chooses to go about that, it does need to change. They’ve built that case for change over the past 12-24 months and this is more about how to deliver that.’’ Rowena Davenport