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‘I went to escape’: All Black Ardie Savea bracing for tough season in Japan
By Finn Morton
One month on from the All Blacks’ heartbreaking Rugby World Cup campaign, backrower Ardie Savea is bracing himself for another gruelling after inking a short-term deal in Japan.
Savea just wanted to “escape Super Rugby” for a season but a legendary contingent of the All Blacks’ finest will also ply their trade in the Land of the Rising Sun in the 2023/24 campaign.
The All Blacks vice-captain, who was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year in Paris last month, has penned a one-season deal with Dave Rennie’s Kobelco Steelers in Japan’s Rugby League One.
Savea will pull on the well-known red jersey alongside Brodie Retallick and former New Zealand international Ngani Laumape, and the talent across the board in Japan is equally as destructive.
All Blacks Richie Mo’unga, Shannon Frizell, Aaron Smith and Dane Coles have signed big deals, while captain Sam Cane has taken up a sabbatical with New Zealand Rugby.
The competition will be fierce and passionate as friends and teammates become foes for 80 minutes, so Savea is hoping that “they don’t smash me too much.”
“I went to escape Super Rugby and the Kiwi boys, but they’re all signed to play in Japan,” Savea joked on The Project.
“It’s going to be good to see the likes of and play against Richie (Mo’unga) and Shannon (Frizell) and join up with Ngani.
“It’s going to be good. Hopefully they don’t smash me too much.”
Another All Black is off to Japan, and that man is playmaker Beauden Barrett. Barrett will join Aaron Smith at Toshiba, but the fullback is rumoured to return to New Zealand afterwards.
While the decision to head overseas was widely tipped to bring an end to Barrett’s illustrious All Blacks career, the door appears very much open for a return.
“He’s certainly got the opportunity to come back here, that’s what he wants to do,” New Zealand Rugby men’s head of high-performance Mike Anthony said.
“Like some of the other senior pros, there’s a chance to head away and get a sabbatical and then come back in.”
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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