All Blacks’ props depth tested ahead of Argentina Test
Ta’avao called into Rugby Championship squad for Moody
It was an emotional moment for Angus Ta’avao when he was elevated to the All Blacks for the rest of the Rugby Championship but the move also highlighted the strain injury issues are placing on the world champions’ depth at prop.
Ta’avao, who was not even contracted by a Super Rugby side at the start of the season, was brought into the All Blacks yesterday after Joe Moody was ruled out with a broken thumb.
The 28-year-old is the second player who did not have a Super Rugby contract at the start of the season to be drafted in after fellow prop Karl Tu’inukuafe was called in for their June series against France.
“I’ve shed a few tears, it’s been a pretty big couple of days,” Ta’avao told Radio Sport yesterday about his call-up to the national side. “I was only supposed to be with the Chiefs until January. I never thought too much about the next level — I was just enjoying playing.” Ta’avao had been used primarily as a bench player by the Auckland Blues and was never really in the frame for the All Blacks, which prompted him to move to Sydney to join the New South Wales Waratahs in 2016.
He then stated his intention to push hard for inclusion with Australia, courtesy of his Melbourne-born mother, and said Wallabies coach Michael Cheika had been in touch. However, he returned to New Zealand for family reasons after the 2017 season and his professional career was only able to take off again when the Chiefs lost all six of their originally contracted props with long-term injuries.
Three of those injured players — Nepo Laulala, Kane Hames and Atu Moli — were All Blacks last year. Ta’avao appeared to get a new lease on life under Colin Cooper in Hamilton and along with Tu’inukuafe provided the Chiefs with one of the best scrums in the competition.
The All Blacks’ next Rugby Championship match is against Argentina on September 8.