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Fiji boss' latest comments suggest Hoskins Sotutu has decision to make
By Chris Jones
England will face stiff opposition from Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne if in-form Blues No8 Hoskins Sotutu decides to give up hopes of breaking back into the All Blacks squad.
The 25-year-old played a huge role in helping the Blues win the Super Rugby Pacific title against the Chiefs last weekend but then found himself surplus to requirements as Scott Robertson, the new All Blacks head coach, left him out of his first squad for the upcoming tests with England.
Sotutu has played 14 Tests for the All Blacks, since making his debut against Australia in 2020 with the player qualifying for England through his mother. Fiji are also on alert with Byrne fully aware that the strong running No8 qualifies through his father for the Pacific Islands nation.
Sotutu will qualify to switch allegiance to another nation next year with his last cap coming in the 25-25 draw against England at Twickenham in November 2022, before being dropped for the whole of 2023 and missing out on selection for the Rugby World Cup.
“He’s definitely a player of interest to us,” Byrne told the The Fiji Times.
“It’s something we’re looking at just to confirm and keep an eye on. I’m just looking through that process now to find out exactly when his last game was, but I believe he played for the All Blacks 15 last year. We’re just trying to find out the exact date that it does become available.”
Adding Sotutu to his squad would be a significant success for Byrne, who has taken up the national role after completing his stint as the Fijian Drua head coach. The creation of the Drua has given Fiji a far greater number of professional players to choose from as they aim to build on their Rugby World Cup campaign in France last year.
Byrne, who could not select a number of his northern hemisphere players for last weekend’s loss to the Barbarians at Twickenham, is hoping to build stronger links with the European leagues in a bid to gain better release agreements moving forward.
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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