Rugby: Julian Savea returns to Hurricanes for 2021 season, with international aspirations in mind

The Hurricanes have beefed up their external reserves for the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa season, while bringing back an old friend.

Former All Black winger Julian Savea has signed for the 2021 campaign. The man nicknamed ‘The Bus’ played for the Wellington franchise between 2011 and 2018, scoring 120 caps and 52 attempts, leading them to his first title in 2015.

Savea joined the team for the final two weeks of the 2020 season, but did not participate on the field. His latest appearances have been for Wellington in the 10 Miter Cup.

Back to the Hurricanes is a goal Savea can tick off her to-do list. But there is a novelty at the top of the page, which comes in the form of a black t-shirt. When asked if he wanted to return to the All Blacks, Savea replied “100 percent.”

“At the time [the All Blacks] The goal is still there, once this season is over, I will re-evaluate what I want to do next, “he says.

“I definitely want to get back on top, if I put myself in a good position with my body and my mind.”

The 30-year-old already has a wealth of experience representing New Zealand, in the form of 54 caps, 46 attempts and a World Cup champion medal.

After a fruitful 2015 World Cup campaign in which he was the top try scorer and was named to the tournament team, Savea quickly fell out of favor with the All Blacks selectors, with players like Ben Smith, Rieko Ioane and Waisake Naholo who passed it on the depth table at the ends. .

Savea is grateful to have the opportunity to be back in the harsh realms of Super Rugby, much less to play for the All Blacks again. His powerful build will become a huge asset to the Hurricanes in what is sure to be another physical competition in 2021.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity, to come back and also wear that yellow shirt again and be among the brothers. I understand the work that needs to be done,” he says.

He suspects that his appearance in and around the team this year helped his cause.

“For me it was just going back to that environment and getting used to the load of everything, the workouts, the weight sessions. In the end, it probably would have helped.

“The only thing I can really control is the consistency of my game and being able to put myself in a position where I can give my teammates my best.”

The departures of fellow wingers Ben Lam and Kobus van Wyk from the team made the addition of Savea logical. Coach Jason Holland describes Savea as a “legend” of hurricanes.

“We have watched Jules since he returned from France and [have] I was really impressed by what we have seen. He’s in great shape and looks pretty powerful, but he’s been amazing off the field as well.

“I love the idea of ​​a winger that is nice and powerful these days, we’ve seen it internationally and getting that momentum from your wingers is very important in my opinion.

“It’s good to have diversity in the strengths of the wings.”

Meanwhile, Holland says they now have a place to fill with the departure of veteran running back TJ Perenara, who is heading to Japan after this year’s Rugby Championship in Australia.

Holland says they will not search the high seas for his replacement.