1
'I watched his highlights montages before games and that didn't help': Solomon Alaimalo's frightening introduction to Super Rugby
By Online Editors
Solomon Alaimalo is heading south for Super Rugby 2021, having signed a three-year deal with the Highlanders. The Auckland-born speedster represented the Chiefs from 2017 until 2020 but decided that it was time to make a change, and will return to the island where he was born and raised.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The XV, Alaimalo revealed that one of the key motivators behind the move was the opportunity to stake a claim for the No 15 jersey, with Damian McKenzie a mainstay and automatic selection at fullback for the Chiefs.
Alaimalo, however, earned his Super Rugby stripes playing on the wing and in just his second New Zealand derby, was tasked with marking World Rugby Player of the Year nominee for 2014 and 2015, Julian Savea.
“My confidence took off after a game against the Hurricanes in 2017,” Alaimalo told The XV. “That was one of my first starts and I’ve never been so nervous because I was marking Jules."
While in years gone by, match footage was only available for professional coaching set-ups for review processes, the rise and rise of YouTube has ensured that anyone, anywhere in the world can get their hands on highlights packages of games or individual players.
That may have with preparation, but it can also have the opposite effect.
“I remember asking a few of the boys, ‘Bro, how am I supposed to tackle this guy? If I go up high, he’s going to bump me off. If I go off low, he’s going to step over me.’ To this day, I’ve never been so fixated on an opposition player – I watched his highlights montages before games and that didn’t help. I was just psyching myself out.”
It didn't take long in the match for Alaimalo and Savea to go head-to-head and thankfully, Alaimalo had a teammate on hand to help deal with the incoming 'Bus'.
“He got the ball on the edge and he was real close to the sidelines. I was just inside him and I was sure he was going to go over me, but I just closed my eyes and I tried to wrap his legs and then I just felt someone get over the top – I think it might have been Sam Cane – and we bundled him out."
Cane, of course, is one of the most aggressive defenders in the New Zealand game and one of the toughest players around, and while Alaimalo may well have had the technique necessary to bring down the 108 kilo, 6-foot 3-inch Savea on his own, Cane's presence no doubt helped put a stopper on the Hurricanes winger's rampage.
It was a confidence-boosting moment for Alaimalo and no doubt an episode that the outside back can call on if he ever needs to remind himself that he's capable of taking any player down.
“After that, it was all good. I had a pretty good game and my confidence from then on was fine – but it was obviously scary at the time.”
Alaimalo is now well into pre-season training with the Highlanders and should be fit and ready for his new side's pre-season clash with the Crusaders in the coming weeks, having been sidelined since the middle stages of the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
Go to comments