Hooker keeps dream alive
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has revealed that breakout All Blacks star Samisoni Taukei’aho turned down lucrative offshore deals this year before recommitting to New Zealand Rugby.
In the six months since his signature of a new contract with Waikato and the Chiefs through to 2024, the bullocking hooker has rapidly reaped the rewards.
So have the Kiwi rugby public, who while having had to stomach back-to-back defeats to close the international season, have also witnessed a particular bright spot in Taukei’aho’s sudden emergence as a genuine contender for the national side’s top 23.
Ever since his idol – Dane Coles – was a late scratching with a calf injury ahead of the second test against Fiji in Hamilton on July 17, Taukei’aho has made every post a winner in achieving his All Blacks dream, which on the way had also seen him turn down overtures from his native Tonga ahead of the last World Cup.
After marking that test debut on home turf with an impressive two-try cameo off the bench, the 24-year-old added eight more appearances in black this year, including one start – which came with another try – against Argentina in Brisbane, rounded out by a powerful display in the loss to France last weekend.
All of this has been watched on by a delighted McMillan, who will
‘‘He had opportunities to go overseas, and probably make a good living for himself and his family.’’
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan on Samisoni Taukei’aho
be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of what Taukei’aho has in store for a fifth Super Rugby season in 2022, having been one of few in the knowledge that the fledgling prospect had been weighing up a shift abroad.
‘‘He’s been pretty impressive, hasn’t he,’’ McMillan said, when discussing his squad for next year’s maiden edition of Super Rugby Pacific.
‘‘Just rapt for him, more than anything. Because, probably not a lot of people know, but he had opportunities to go overseas, and probably make a good living for himself and his family. But he really wanted to chase the All Black dream.
‘‘He didn’t have any guarantee of that happening when those discussions were happening through Super Rugby. And it says a lot about him – that he turned down the money to chase the dream.
‘‘It probably came a little bit quicker than what he would have anticipated. But he’s shown that he can make that step up. He looks really made for test rugby.
‘‘So he’ll come back having grown from the experience, and hopefully we’re going to be the beneficiaries of that.’’
Taukei’aho debuted for the Chiefs in 2017 after joining the squad as injury cover, and quickly caught the attention of All Blacks selectors for his damaging ball-running abilities, though his shaky lineout throwing stalled his progress.
With that aspect of his game much-improved, he has been able to thrive in his ball-in-hand work, with a notably robust 115kg frame that is 5kg heavier than Coles and 7kg heavier than Codie Taylor and Asafo Aumua, to throw up interesting selection calls for All Blacks coach Ian Foster.