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'Listen, come to our team': All Black hopeful told to move to bolster selection chance

Levi Aumua of New Zealand waves to the fans during the Killik Cup match between Barbarians and New Zealand All Blacks XV at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

The All Blacks midfield is a hotly contested positional group but one candidate continues to impress in Super Rugby Pacific as a potential World Cup bolter.

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Moana Pasifika centre Levi Aumua has been in devastating form and brings size and power unlike any other midfielder in New Zealand.

His damaging running was on show against the Crusaders in Christchurch in round seven where he bulldozed through multiple players to score two tries in the 38-21 loss.

Ahead of the first home game in Samoa against the Reds, Aumua had clocked the most running metres of any centre in the competition with 564, and the third most defenders beaten of any player with 37.

Only All Black winger Mark Telea and teammate Timoci Tavatavanawai have beaten more players in Aumua this season, while Moana Pasifika’s No 13 has logged an impressive eight line breaks.

New Zealand broadcast personality Hamish McKay believed that Aumua does not receive enough attention for his performances in a side that is near the bottom of the ladder.

“About bloody time! Levi Aumua is a game breaker,” he wrote on his social page after Aumua made the back page of the NZ Herald.

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“We won’t win a Rugby World Cup with steady Eddie’s.”

Former Welsh international Gordon Simpson explained on SENZ’s The Rugby Run radio show that it was in Aumua’s best interests to leave Moana Pasifika for another New Zealand team in order to gain All Black selection.

The 28-year-old was previously with the Blues in 2019 and made four appearances but was stuck behind All Black duo Sonny Bill Williams and Ma’a Nonu.

“Aumua … if you put him in a Crusaders backline or a Blues backline, how much more devastating and how much more ball would he get and how much more explosive?” Simpson told SENZ’s The Rugby Run.

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“You put him in one of those teams and you’ve got the sort of teams next year possibly looking at him.

“They would be saying, ‘Listen, come to our team, we’ll make you an offer,’ or however it works.

“It just builds his profile and yeah, then you start looking at higher honours.”

Aumua is eligible for multiple nations including Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand but was picked last year in the All Blacks XV.

His selection for the All Blacks XV caused a stir as the Moana Pasifika team was floated as a pathway for Pacific nations to develop international players.

Former All Black midfielder and Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger said at the time that they would support Aumua’s ambitions, and added that all three nations should be chasing him.

“All our boys are on their own journey,” said Mauger last year.

“We’re really proud of Levi, we’re really proud of who he’s become as a man and that’s transferred onto the field.

“We support all of our boys with their aspirations. Levi’s decided that route – just for now.

“That doesn’t mean to say he’s not going to be available for Samoa or [Fiji] down the track.

“If I was those coaches, I’d be going hard to get Levi in my team for the World Cup.”

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Comments

3 Comments
J
Jmann 564 days ago

Agree with the article. New Zealander Levi Aumua - needs to think of his own future and in order to get more time playing for his country he should ditch underperforming Moana Pacifica for one of the other franchises.

P
Poe 564 days ago

Just the guy for the All Blacks. Ione back to the left. Stevenson at 15. Would make the future exciting.

T
Tony 564 days ago

What Folly it was to let Ngani LauMape go - now we are reaping the reward of that dumb decision.

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AM 8 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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