All Blacks reject awaits ‘final clearance’ for British & Irish Lions clash as Test decision looms
Hoskins Sotutu has been overlooked for the All Blacks again but looks set to play against top international teams in the coming weeks.
All Blacks forward Hoskins Sotutu is set to feature for AUNZ Invitational against the British and Irish Lions on July 12 in Adelaide, according to reports.
Sotutu has been a consistent performer at Super Rugby Pacific level for the Blues but has been unable to twist the All Blacks coaching staff’s hand with head coach Scott Robertson notably preferring rookie Wallace Sititi for a call-up last year.
Sititi would go on to start for New Zealand and was named the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year for his efforts, while Sotutu remained on the outskirts of the squad for much of the year.
Hoskins Sotutu’s repeated snubs
This, despite being named the Super Rugby Pacific MVP of the season and while he was set for a call-up in November after a plethora of injuries in the loose forwards, he was denied the opportunity due to a setback of his own.
Robertson has now named his first squad of the year to begin preparations for the three-match Test series against France and once again Sotutu has been overlooked.
The Blues back-rower will get his opportunity to play some form of international rugby, however, after being named in the Barbarians squad along with clubmate Mark Tele’a for the clash against the Springboks in Cape Town this weekend, but looks set to also play in Australia against the Lions.
This is according to a report by ESPN Rugby, which states that it may be the final time that Sotutu dons a shade of black at international level.
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According to the publication, final insurance clearance has proven to be the chief stumbling block for potential inclusions in the AUNZ invitational team which has yet to officially unveil any of the squad members with just over a fortnight to go before the fixture.
It is that issue which has delayed Sotutu’s inclusion too which could be rubber-stamped to feature in the side potentially by the end of the weekend along with the likes Tele’a, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and even former All Blacks skipper Sam Cane, who will all be turning out for Robbie Deans’ Baa-baas team against the double World Cup winning Boks.
While some former All Blacks like Shannon Frizell, Cane and TJ Perenara could get the nod for the AUNZ team, Richie Mo’unga has been ruled out through injury with several members of Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad also set to be released to make up the numbers of the Les Kiss and Ian Foster-coached outfit.
Furthermore, it is widely reported that Sotutu is considering his international options beyond the All Blacks.
If the back-rower does not represent Robertson’s team in 2025, he will be eligible to switch international allegiances through World Rugby’s birthright regulation in December, with the possibility of switching to England or Fiji; he would follow in his father’s, Waisake, footsteps if he went the latter route.
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