1
Unfortunately for Pita Gus Sowakula, the All Blacks No. 8 jersey is not up for grabs
I don’t have too many bad things to say about Pita Gus Sowakula.
In fact, I’m actually going to offer up none.
The Chiefs No.8 is a fine player, who I enjoy watching and wish success.
ADVERTISEMENT
But, come on, can we ditch the Sowakula for All Blacks chat?
As I say, the man is very good on the carry and wouldn’t disgrace the national side. But if we look at said team and speculate about which positions might be up for grabs, No.8 is not one of them.
Video Player is loading.
This is a modal window.
The Video Cloud video was not found.
Error Code: VIDEO_CLOUD_ERR_VIDEO_NOT_FOUND
Session ID: 2025-05-20:4388a329e1624d6234bd3b2c Player Element ID: brightcove-embedded-video
Ardie Savea starts there every day of the week and twice on Sundays. He is, by some distance, the best-performed All Black we’ve got.
And we’re going to ditch him for a debutant?
I’ll admit this is a bit of a simplification of what’s actually a semi-complicated scenario, but it wouldn’t hurt for those people spruiking Sowakula’s claims to remember we already have Ardie.
Let’s dig a little deeper then.
Savea is small. Always has been. Well before he was even an All Black, people speculated that he didn’t have the stature to succeed on the highest stage.
Well, at 6, 7 and 8 Savea has shown us otherwise. No matter where the selectors sought to put him in the loose trio, he’s always prospered, always played above his weight, always appeared to try harder than anyone else on the field.
ADVERTISEMENT
Put simply, Savea’s name is just about the first that goes on the team sheet.
Playing at blindside flanker was done to accommodate then-captain Kieran Read, but I think we’d all agree that Savea’s stint in the No.6 shirt won’t be repeated.
So that leaves 8 and 7.
There will always be those who believe we need a big body on the back of the scrum. That’s fine.
I’d argue that Savea’s leg-drive and relentless intensity are better than putting some lumbering giant there, but I accept the point that size can be an asset at No.8.
ADVERTISEMENT
The elephant in the room here, as he has been ever since being prematurely appointed captain, is Sam Cane.
Savea could play 7. I’m not sure it would be the best utilisation of his ball-carrying skills – and that he’d invariably pack at No.8 on All Blacks’ attacking scrum ball – but he can definitely do a job there.
Savea at 7 means you can have a Hoskins Sotutu or Sowakula-type No.8, which has its potential advantages.
But are you telling me the selectors are going to can Cane and install someone else as captain? I’d be surprised.
Now history has shown us that Cane isn’t immensely durable, so injury might dictate the situation anyway, but I would venture that Savea and Cane are both in New Zealand’s preferred loose trio and that’s that.
I don’t really see Sowakula as a No.6 and, actually, continue to be encouraged by Tupou Vaa’i’s progress there.
If the All Blacks are to have a big body in the trio, then I’d venture it’ll be someone at 6. That might not be great news for guys such as Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson and Ethan Blackadder, but them’s the breaks.
Sowakula is an international-quality rugby player. And, who knows, he might play five or 10 tests for the All Blacks one day.
I think the broader game might benefit more from him playing 60 times for Fiji instead, but you can’t have everything.
Either way, the man has ability and wouldn’t look out of place in the test arena.
But let’s not forget we also have a bloke called Ardie Savea floating about as well.
What worries me is the size of the entire AB pack! Look at the French this year - arguably the team to beat. They are fast, young and BIG!
I disagree, Savea isn't a first pick.
To borrow someone else's theory, Savea is a platform-launching player but he's not a platform-building player.
While a fine attacker, his defense and breakdown work are average.
The first players on the team sheet are the platform-builders (e.g. Cane, Blackadder, Papalii), otherwise who lays the foundation from which players like Savea can thrive?
A disregard for the foundation work is part of the reason why the ABs are struggling.
Whilst you can never fault Ardie Savea for lack of effort he would not be my number one pick for 8 or 7 but more as a sub player in either position.
I know people will come down on me for this but Savea is not a constructive team player. His leg drive stuff looks good but he is often too upright and is poor at getting over the advantage line, laying the ball back and putting his team on the front foot. He is also not a good covering 8 from the rear which Reed and Mexted were very good at. As a selector you have to pick a team which is balanced and works as a cohesive unit.
France and Ireland show the value of combinations both at international level and at club level, many of these players play with each other at these levels.
Unfortunately the AB'S don't have time to develop these combinations before the next RWC.
That's the problem at the moment with the All Blacks. We put people in different places to accommodate others. Watching the six nations rugby is amazing with true specialists across the Park. Come June Ireland are going to kill us.
Savea should start at 7 every time as he is the best 7 in the country. Cane is phenomenal but time teaches us that he is as fragile as a wet tissue. we need either sowakula or sotutu to start at 8 as they are the two best 8's in the country. going forward we need specialists in every position with a flexible bench. 1 year out from the RWC, our starting loose trio and midfield are nothing short of a lottery ticket(with exception to savea and linnert brown of course) sorry dude, I strongly disagree, the all blacks need sowakula at 8
If the ABs were playing well you might have a case. But they are in disarray, so change is required. Also, Sowakula could come off the bench. Jacobsen will be lucky to play No.8 with the form Sowakula is in. McMillan is no mug.
Savea is a No 7 playing as a small no 8. This is not tenable. He is a superb no 7 and should start there with Cane on the bench. Sowakula is a big true no 8 with power that no other 8 in NZ has. Your argument is nonsense and shows you have succumbed to the Foster stupidity of playing folks in anywhere but their logical position.
As we saw in Japan, Savea simply isn't an All Black openside. A balanced All Black loose trio needs an openside who gets through a mountain of dirty work on defence and clearing rucks. That's someone like McCaw, Cane, Todd, Papalii, Christie etc. Then you have your monster at six. Savea with his attacking skills and speed/leg drive off the base really only fits in at 8 or as bench impact.
I wouldn't discount PGS though, if he keeps his form he should be given a chance to compete for the 8 and 20 jerseys.
Well said Andrew
Let's have the best specialists in their positions
Let's have the best No8 playing at No8, and the best openside playing there ( likewise in the backs)
Let's make the best lose forward trio ... with flexible back up from the bench.
Can we stop trying to miss shape the team with players out of position.
Another example ... Beauden Barrett is the best 1st 5/8 ... so he starts all the important games with Richie Mo'unga on the bench.
Sowakula is a better fit for Fiji. It gives Fiji options at the best players and allows them to perform better. The later could propel them into the rugby Championship alongside Tonga, samoa, japan Australia and the all blacks. With a change in eligibility, this competition could have the best players playing in it from piutau to radradra and Botia to savea and Luatua to the barrett boys, and michael Hooper to quade cooper and Kerevi to Yamura and his crew...it could rival the 6Nations ..common we already have Super Rugby Pacific..why cannot we have a Pacific Rim Championship
We will agree to disagree. The mount everest for all pasifika players is making the mighty All Blacks and Australia is a close 2nd.
Gus has thrown his lot in with the All Blacks and he has outplayed out performed all number8s they have played against thus far this year.
A call up is warranted and if not than these AB selectors are like them labour politicians. 1.8billion dollars for 5years and nothing to show for it.