Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'It was frustrating': Chiefs star Lachlan Boshier opens up on last year's All Blacks omission

(Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Star Chiefs flanker Lachlan Boshier has opened up on his omission from last year’s All Blacks squad, revealing he hasn’t been in much contact with the national selectors about his international prospects.

ADVERTISEMENT

Boshier was one of the standout players in New Zealand last year, flourishing in Super Rugby, Super Rugby Aoteaora and the Mitre 10 Cup for the Chiefs and Taranaki.

Renowned particularly for his ability at the breakdown, but also his tackling and high defensive work rate, Boshier turned the heads of many fans and pundits, who believed All Blacks honours were in the reckoning for the uncapped 26-year-old.

Video Spacer

Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan speaks to media

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan speaks to media

      Selection in the North Island squad for the North vs South clash was as good as it got for the flanker, though, as he missed out on the match days squad to the likes of fellow loose forwards Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu and Dalton Papalii.

      It was a similar story when the All Blacks squad was named the day after the inter-island derby, with Boshier’s name missing from the 35-man cohort.

      Even when Savea was a late arrival to Australia for the All Blacks’ Tri-Nations campaign due to paternity leave, Boshier was overlooked as his replacement, with the bulky frame and physicality of Du’Plessis Kirifi preferred instead.

      That left Boshier without any of the international accolades that many felt he deserved due to his performances at the lower levels of the game, but that hasn’t deterred him from continuing to play the game as he sees fits.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      “You don’t want to be someone else – you can only be yourself,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

      “Everyone is a different player and there’s different types of sevens around. I’m happy with how I play the game and if other people aren’t happy with that then so be it.”

      Just how he played the game last year came under consideration once he returned to action in Super Rugby Aotearoa last year.

      After starring as one of the finest Chiefs players in the first few rounds of Super Rugby in January, February and March, Boshier went into the COVID-19 lockdown as among New Zealand’s most in-form players.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Boshier struggled upon his return to action in Super Rugby Aotearoa, though, with an alteration to the breakdown laws yielding 58 penalties in the opening weekend of the makeshift New Zealand competition.

      “They stuffed around with the laws last year and it put a dent in the game,” Boshier told the Herald.

      “It was frustrating the way they played around with the breakdown. It took a few games to get right.

      “I don’t know why they’re trying to change things so much. At the start of Super Rugby Aotearoa they brought in all these new law interpretations and then halfway through it’s back to normal. Mentally that drains you as well – it becomes frustrating.”

      It took some time, but Boshier eventually found his feet under the new law interpretations, finding the same vein of form he was in the pre-COVID-19 version of Super Rugby.

      That wasn’t enough to garner an All Blacks call-up, nor was it enough to guide the Chiefs to a single Super Rugby Aotearoa victory, but Boshier remains optimistic about his prospects this season.

      “I haven’t had too many chats with those sorts of guys [the All Blacks selectors],” he said.

      “It is what it is. You can only play as well as you do while you’re out there.

      “There’s definitely plenty of competition in the loose forwards around the country. You can only control what you do so I’m always trying to be a better player. The rest takes care of itself.

      “I’ll just keep going with what I’m doing and slowly progress in most areas. I’m pretty happy with how my game is at the moment. I really loved my footy last year; keeping it well balanced is key for me. We’ve got some good coaches here at the Chiefs so I’ll keep working with them to grow my game.”

      The Chiefs kick-off their Super Rugby Aotearoa season against the Highlanders at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on March 5.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

      Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

      The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

      Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Features

      Comments on RugbyPass

      S
      Solenn Bonnet 8 days ago
      Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

      My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

      CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

      EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      WhatsApp.. +15617263697

      website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      Telegram.. +15617263697

      0 Go to comments
      LONG READ
      LONG READ Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy
      Search