Brendan Gallagher’s Rugby World Cup bolters
One of the great hopes surrounding the US Eagles Sevens programme is that some of the talent identified there as they go chasing Olympic success will transfer immediately across to the fifteens. That looks certain to be the case with Danny Barrett, a barnstorming No.8 with an almost Samoan love of the big hit complimented with serious pace and a nose for the try-line. Back in May, Barrett was a member of the Eagles Seven that took Twickenham by storm en route to their extraordinary World Series win and, after helping the Eagles confirm their Olympic place in June at the North American qualifying competition, he turned his attention to fifteens, having been first capped last autumn. The result was two outstanding performances last month against Samoa and Japan. Barrett is a graduate of the University of California and first came to the attention of the national and Sevens selectors when he starred for the All American Colleges XV which toured New Zealand in June 2013 and made off with an historic win over New Zealand Universities. He spent a month with Gloucester last season but his Sevens commitments through to Rio next summer make a club career impracticable until the 2016-17 season.
Where did this guy come from? Just two matches into his Test career and already Kriel, 21, looks the real deal at centre. A recent graduate of Maritzberg College who can number Jonty Rhodes and a certain Kevin Pietersen among its sporting allumini. After two years in the South Africa U20s side playing alongside the Boks fly-half Handre Pollard, Kriel made his mark with the Blue Bulls last season, confirming the good impression he had made on Heyneke Meyer through South Africa’s age group sides. Even before giving Kriel a Test debut last month his coach was talking him up in unprecedented terms: “I reckon Jessie could go on to become one of the greatest outside centres that South Africa has ever produced. I really rate him highly. He takes the outside gap, which is what you want from an outside centre. He can go on to become one of the greats and is probably one of the most talented players I have ever coached.”
After that Kriel had to deliver…and he did in spades. On debut he scored a brilliant try against the Wallabies and seven days later he topped that with a sumptuous score against the All Blacks, timing his run perfectly and cutting a superb angle to burst through Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith.
Not exactly a new name – he’s been around for a couple of seasons now – but the first six of his 17 caps were off the bench and only recently, with other players either injured or resting, has he nailed down a spot on the wing which takes some doing in a New Zealand squad oozing world class wing talent. One of the stand-out All Blacks during their difficult flying visit to Apia to play Samoa, he then scored a sharply taken try against the Pumas and was absolutely exceptional in all departments when giving an MOM performance in New Zealand’s win over South Africa at Ellis Park last week.
Puitau has been with the Auckland Blues since 2012 but, perhaps not expecting to become a New Zealand starter, he has signed for Ulster next season. Born into a Tongan family in Auckland, Piutau attended that well known rugby nursery Wesley College before starring for Tonga at the IRB Junior World Cup in 2010. Alerted of his talent the New Zealand selectors then picked him for the 2011 Junior World Cup, which they won, defeating England. Elder brother Siale Piutau is the regular starting centre for the full Tonga team.
You wait for ages for a world class talent at centre to come along to help the creaking Jean de Villiers in midfield and then two come along at the same time. Not only has Jesse Kriel been tearing up trees but the strapping De Allende – 6ft 2inches and nearly 17 stone – has been equally impressive alongside him against Australia and New Zealand. And after scoring two tries for the Springboks in their non-cap match against a World XV Robbie Deans, coach of the invitation XV, commented that De Allende “had been playing remarkable rugby for the Stormers all season and that he can add a new dimension to the Springboks game”. A graduate of Milnerton HS and the University of Cape Town, De Allende was a late developer and missed out on age group honours before starting out with Western Province’s Vodacom Cup team three season ago. As he filled out, however, he graduated to the Stormers, making his Super Rugby debut in 2013. Not only does he have remarkable strength and poise going forward but he has developed an array of offloads and passes not dissimilar to Sonny Bill Williams.
Look out – Fiji seem to have discovered a man mountain at centre in this powerhouse former prison warder from Suva. Botia became a YouTube sensation last month when he barrelled through Tongan flankers Hale T Pole and Taniele Mola to create a memorable score for Fiji in their Pacific Cup fixture. Although 26, it was only Botia’s third Test appearance but at 6ft and nearer 18 stone than 17 he immediately seemed to offer up the physical presence they have been looking for in midfield alongside Vereniki Goneva.
It would be untrue to say Botia has come from nowhere, he had played for and captained the Fijian Sevens for two years appearing mainly at hooker – and played two tournaments for Ben Ryan last year – but just when it seemed a step into Test rugby was inevitable his agent Sereli Bobo lined him up first with a contract as a medical joker at La Rochelle and then with a full time contract after he had quickly become a local cult figure at the club. Intends to return to the Fijian Sevens after the World Cup in an effort to secure a place in Fiji’s squad for Rio.
