‘I love that guy’: Australians react to Julian Savea’s ‘unreal’ try record
Broadcaster Sean Maloney has described Julian Savea’s latest achievement as “unreal” after the former All Black broke the all-time Super Rugby try scoring record with an effort in Round Three against the Melbourne Rebels.
Savea, 33, has enjoyed a decorated career at Super Rugby level with the Hurricanes and now Moana Pasifika, and has been rewarded for his effort with a historic score on Friday night.
Playing against the Melbourne Rebels at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato, the No.12-wearing Savea popped up on the wing to score a fitting try down the right edge during the second half.
Savea had been locked with former Wallaby Israel Folau on 60 tries for quite some time, but the man known as ‘The Bus’ now stands alone above the likes of Folau, Doug Howlett and current Hurricane TJ Perenara.
“Julain Savea, The Bus, breaks the all-time try scoring record. I love that guy, love him,” Maloney said on Stan Sports’ Between Two Posts.
“He’s been so good for so long for the Hurricanes and for New Zealand rugby.
“To see him get that title, unreal.”
After two glistening stints in New Zealand’s capital with the Hurricanes, Savea sailed into uncharted waters this season after signing for a new Super Rugby Pacific franchise.
For the first time, Savea donned a club’s Super Rugby colours that wasn’t the well-known yellow of the Canes, with the Rugby World Cup winner putting pen to paper with Moana Pasifika.
Savea joins former Wallabies Christian Leali’ifano and Sekope Kepu at the club, and as another ex-Australian international explained, it’s great for the competition.
“I like that movement for certain key players that have a Samoan or Polynesian background getting back to Moana and/or the Drua,” former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles added.
“It’s something I think New Zealand Rugby can look at because we want to make sure that these teams that come in are here for good.
“They’re now using him (Savea) in the midfield which is probably suiting him at this stage of his career as well.”
Savea’s record-breaking 61st Super Rugby try wasn’t just historic, but it was quite a game-chasing score in the contest of Moana Pasifika’s eventual defeat.
The successful conversion made it a two-point game, but the Rebels proved too good in the end as they hung on for a 23-29 victory away from home across the Tasman.
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All of these media pundits always miss the obvious whenever they analyse what is ailing or assisting the game. Rugby always has contentious points for debate when picking apart individual games and finding fault with itself. All this focus and scrutiny on “speeding up the game”, “high ball in play” etc is all contextual to the fan. As a tv viewer, if you’re absorbed into a game, regardless if your team is playing or not, more ball in play time and action are all byproducts of the contest. A good contest subliminally affects your memory in selectively remembering all the good aspects. A poor contest and your brain has switched off because its a blowout and the result is never in doubt or it’s a real chore to watch and remain engaged throughout. The URC, Top 14 and English premiership are all competitions that feel like there’s real jeopardy each week. The dominance of Super rugby by NZ teams was unhealthy from a sustainable interest perspective. You can’t fault those teams or the players, but the lack of competitions won by SA and Australian teams long term was always going to test the faith and patience of die-hard and casual fans from those regions. SANZAR took their eye off the fans and fans voted with their feet and subscriptions. They were so concerned about expanding their product they forgot the golden rule about broadcasting live sport. Viewers tune in more when there’s an atmosphere and a true contest. You need to fill stadiums to create one, host unions need to do more to service ticket buyers, and this year proves the other, there’s more interest in Super rugby this year only because more games are competitive with less foregone conclusions. All these micro statistics bandied about, only interest the bean counters and trainspotters.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
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