In his most recent statement, the Fijian leader stated that Hoskins Sotutu needs to decide.
Head coach of Flying Fijians Mick Byrne will put up a strong fight for England should in-form Blues No. 8 Hoskins Sotutu decide to give up on his dreams of rejoining the All Blacks team.
The 25-year-old was crucial to the Blues’ victory over the Chiefs in last weekend’s Super Rugby Pacific title match, but Scott Robertson, the new All Blacks head coach, decided not to include him in his starting lineup for the next tests against England, leaving him surplus to needs.
Having qualified for England through his mother, Sotutu has played 14 Test matches for the All Blacks since making his debut against Australia in 2020. Byrne is fully aware that the hard-charging No. 8 qualifies for the Pacific Islands nation through his father, so Fiji is also on high alert.
With his final cap coming in the 25–25 draw against England at Twickenham in November 2022, Sotutu will be able to change his allegiance to a different country the following year. He was then dropped for the entirety of 2023 and did not make the Rugby World Cup squad. “We are definitely interested in him as a player,” Byrne stated to The Fiji Times.
We’re investigating it to be sure and to keep an eye on it. His last game was probably last year, but I’m still searching through that process to be sure. I think he was a member of the All Blacks 15. All we’re looking for is the precise day when it will be accessible.
Sotutu’s addition to his team would be a huge accomplishment for Byrne, who assumed the national team position following his resignation as head coach of the Fijian Drua. Fiji can now choose from a significantly larger pool of professional players thanks to the formation of the Drua, as they want to improve on their performance at the Rugby World Cup in France last year.
Having been unable to choose several players from the northern hemisphere for the Barbarians’ victory at Twickenham last weekend, Byrne hopes to forge closer ties with the European leagues in an effort to get better release deals going forward.
