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'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.

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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.

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Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan speaks to media

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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