Getting to know: Baby Blacks U20s forward Will Stodart

It has so far not been a vintage Junior World Championship for New Zealand, as they only scrapped past Wales – the bottom team in the 2023 age-grade Six Nations – by a single point before enduring a 21-point hammering from the more physical France in a 35-14 rain-affected loss.

The Baby Blacks still retain an outside hope of making the semi-finals as the best runner-up from the three pools in South Africa; they go into Tuesday’s match in Stellenbosch against Rob Penney’s Japan knowing that a huge win to improve their currently negative points difference, allied to results in the other two groups going their way, can still lever them into the knockout stages.

Will Stodart was a starter in Clark Laidlaw’s team in the 27-26 win against the Welsh, and he then came off their bench against the French. RugbyPass met him at the New Zealand team hotel in Cape Town, learning that he really rates his tackling, speaks highly of Liam Squire, and why “just going bone on bone” is his favourite type of training drill.

THE BASICS

Born: October 3, 2003;

Joined New Zealand age-grade: Last year, 2022. We played Western Province for our first game in Stellenbosch;

Club: Otago (development contract PDC);

Position: Loose forward;

Boots: adidas Predator;

Gumshield: I got it from a dentist in Dunedin;

Headgear: I tried it once, but it was no good for me. I got too hot.

School: St Andrew’s College, Christchurch.

RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)

Pace: 70;

Passing: 75;

Tackling: 80.

THE PAST

My favourite New Zealand player of all time is... Liam Squire.

Favourite try I have ever scored is... Probably against St Thomas in year 13, a great comeback win at school. I just took it off the back of a maul and ran over the top of someone and scored. The whole school got behind us and it was pretty cool.

The moment I realised I could make it... I am still in that stage the last couple of years but it’s starting to get a bit more realistic this last year and a half.

A rugby memory that makes me smile is... Winning the UC championship, the local competition that St Andrews, my old school, used to compete in. That was in year 12, my first year in the school. That always brings a good smile.

One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is... Keep persisting. Just keep doing what I was always doing, keep my head down and work and not get too worried about what other people are achieving. Just keep taking it in your own time.

My best subject in school was... PE.

Growing up, my position was... No8.

The coach who has most impacted my game is... That’s a good question. Good question. My high school coach Ian Robinson.

THE PRESENT

My favourite rising rugby player is...Peter Lakai, one of the boys in the U20s team. He is pretty awesome to watch in the same environment at the moment, watching him grow.

My best attributes on the field are... My ball carrying, physicality. I pride myself on them.

One thing I’m doing to improve my education is... I am currently studying for a bachelor of science at the University of Otago, majoring in sports science and sports management. I’m working hard on that off the field.

My favourite current New Zealand player is... Scott Barrett.

My favourite YouTuber is... Hamish & Andy.

My hardest working teammate is... Jack Taylor.

My most skilful teammate is... Taha Kemara.

My favourite training drill is... Anything that is hitting bodies, just going bone on bone. Physicality, I suppose.

My favourite music artist is... There are a few. I’ll say Drake.

THE FUTURE

A player who could go all the way is... Peter Lakai.

If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with... Probably Jack Taylor.

I will be happy with my career if I... Feel as if I have given it everything I have got, just put my head down and work and whatever comes from that, I will be more than happy with it.

I want to make a difference by... Just being myself.

If I could get a degree in anything I would choose... I’d be stoked if I could tick off the bachelor of science I am currently studying for.

I would be a better player if I... Just keep trusting my own ability.

If I could play in any other country, I would play in... Ireland would be pretty cool.

One person I want to meet is... LeBron James.

One trophy I would love to win is... Junior World Cup would be pretty cool.