New Zealand number eight Hoskins Sotutu knows that he has “big shoes to fill” with Ardie Savea absent for their clash with Australia in the Rugby Championship.
Savea is unavailable due to the birth of his third child, which means that the Blues star gets an opportunity to stake his claim.
Despite impressing at Super Rugby level, Sotutu has struggled to take that form onto the international stage with the All Blacks.
Savea has been a consistent presence in the number eight jersey and the 24-year-old understands the pressure that comes with it, but he is determined to take his chance on Thursday.
Being prepared
“With Ardie not being here, they are big shoes to fill, but I’ve just got to do what I do, don’t over-complicate it, and just be me,” Sotutu said.
“I’ve been preparing myself to be ready for an opportunity. I knew it was going to be limited, so whenever it came I just had to be ready.”
Sotutu revealed that he has learned plenty from Savea in regards to how the back-rower goes about his business in training and on the field.
“His preparation is second to none, and for him being able to perform so consistently every week, I find it pretty amazing,” he said.
“He’s like the all-round player – aggressive on defence, and on attack, and he can also just make things happen. It’s something for me to work towards in the future.”
The Blues number eight admits that he can’t just copy what Savea does and must bring his own unique skill set to the game against the Wallabies.
“I just try to do things the way I do it,” he said. “At training if I see something different, I’ll speak up. I’m still young and still trying to learn.
“Ardie is the master at the moment – he’s the teacher.”
Handling the pressure
The pressure is on for Sotutu and New Zealand as they attempt to retain the Rugby Championship title, but head coach Ian Foster expects him to handle the expectation.
“It certainly tests you when you haven’t played a Test match for the last couple of months,” Foster said. “But we have had him back playing NPC a couple of times, and he’s fine.
“It’s hard to tell with Hoskins sometimes, because he’s quiet and has his way of doing things, but we’ve got complete faith in him.
“We just want him to execute the game we need him to play but also to not be afraid to show the skill set he’s got.”
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