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'Credit should go to the locks': Samisoni Taukei'aho downplays All Blacks performance

Samisoni Taukei'aho. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

After a barnstorming showing in the No 2 jersey over the weekend, young All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho has downplayed his performance in just his second start for the national side, instead crediting the men around him.

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Taukei’aho nailed all 10 of his lineout deliveries at Mbombela Stadium over the weekend and finished the match as the All Blacks’ second-best metre-eater in the forwards but the 25-year-old – who celebrated his birthday on Monday – has insisted that he’s not the one who should be given the praise for the accurate showing at the set-piece.

“I’m not going to take credit for myself,” he said, “because there’s a lot of people, a lot of moving parts in a lineout: the system, the locks, the callers.

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“For me, my job is just to throw in the ball and I’ll give credit to the other hookers, we do throwing on our days off and stuff like that. It’s just putting the hard yards in behind the scene so when we go out to the field, we just execute.

“But credit should go to the locks, the people calling it because their job is to identify where the space is and make the hooker’s job a lot easier by throwing it to open space. Sammy Whitelock and all the locks [deserve the credit].”

While Taukei’aho is absolutely correct that it takes more than just one player performing well to run a lineout, things didn’t go quite so well for the considerably more experienced Dane Coles when he entered the fray in the 56th minute.

In years gone by, Taukei’aho has seriously struggled with hitting his targets – either conceding possession to the opposition jumpers, overthrowing the delivery or being free-kicked for not throwing straight. He revealed that while he hadn’t made any major tweaks to his process, he had made some mental strides that have helped his accuracy.

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“I think for me it was more the mental side of it (that has developed),” he said. “Sometimes I overthink too much and think about stuff that I couldn’t control which I shouldn’t have done and I think I’m just tweaking that and focussing on what I can control, which is getting my process right, focussing on my process and not the outcome of the throw. That helped me a lot. Every time I get to actually get a lineout, I just focus on that instead of focussing on the outcomes.”

Coach Ian Foster acknowledged the strong showing from Taukei’aho the morning following the match and – in line with the hooker’s comments on his own mental approach to lineouts – praised his uncomplicated nature.

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“I was delighted with him, he played well,” Foster said. “We liked him because he was quite uncomplicated, didn’t get fazed, carried well. He contributed well at scrum time. He gets a big tick.

“A big test for him and delighted with him, really.”

While Foster wouldn’t comment on why Taukei’aho wasn’t given a starting opportunity against Ireland in July, the All Blacks top dog will undoubtedly persist with the Chiefs hooker in the No 2 jersey this weekend when NZ once again face off with South Africa.

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Having gone down 26-10 on Saturday, Foster will be looking for another big performance from Taukei’aho to help get the All Blacks back on track following three straight defeats.

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R
RedWarrior 2 hours ago
The reason given by Steve Borthwick for latest England setback

So England are allowed to have a tsunami whinge fest about the ref but if an Irish fan points out that some decisions hurt Ireland also they are being petulant.

Honestly some English supporters are all politeness until they lose then the claws and fangs come out.

Ok here we go, not complaints just pointing out where England got away with roul play:

1: M Smiths headbutt on James Lowe that started the fracas with Stewart. If the ref spots that in time then thats a second yellow if not a straight red for Smith. Probably worth another 14 points with England gassed so a 41-10 final scoreline?

2: Itoje's several stamps on Hansens instep in a clear attempt to damage metatarsals. Straight red or if he is lucky, 10 in the bin.

3. Currys block on Baird to create a gap that Smith used to break the line. Penalty and possession for Ireland deep in England 22 with score at 0:0.

4: The correct decision for the Cunningham South dangerous tackle was a yellow. Lowe blew it by confronting him. The ref didn't give South or Lowe a yellow. The ref couldn't give Lowe a yellow anyway as the TMO would have informed him that m Smith alone started the previosu fracas and its not unreasonable for a player to react to being headbutted.


One last thing missing from English analysis

How is coming over to Dublin acting like you own the place, committing filthy cowardly off the ball cheap shots working out for you? I mean you clearly dont care that we think your team are a crowd of a$$holes but...... rugby wise, how is riling the Irish team to focus and get the best out of themselves against such unpleasant opposition working for you on the scoreboard?


Food for thought old boy!!!!

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LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'It's about time England started shaping their own narrative and got the job done.' Mick Cleary: 'It's about time England started shaping their own narrative and got the job done.'
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