Angus Ta’avao was emotional after he was called to become part of the All Blacks team for the rest of the Rugby Championship, but the move has highlighted the strain that has been mounting due to the number of injuries that top-level props have been receiving this season.
Ta’avao was been officially become part of the All Blacks team after Joe Moody was forced to take a leave of absence due to a broken thumb. 28-year-old Ta’avao is one of two that did not start the current season with a Super Rugby contract but has seen elevation to a national position for the Rugby Championships. Prop Karl Tu’inukuafe was the first to be drafted without a contract during their June series against France.
Ta’avao told reporters that he shed a few tears when he heard the announcement, and that the last few days for him were pretty big. He further explained that he was only meant to play with the Chiefs until the end of January, and had not considered that he would be playing at a more professional level.
Ta’avao, who was used primarily as a bench player for the Auckland Blues, was never really in the roster for the All Blacks, and moved to Sydney for this reason. He then returned to New Zealand for the 2017 season, and his career finally took off again when the Chiefs lost six of their original props due to long-term injuries.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.9/5 | 100% Match | Bet now |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Hurricanes Sign Dominic Bird For The 2022 Season
Dominic Bird has returned from France after spending time with Racing Metro. He has signed a contract with Wellington for the 2021 NPC and the Hurricanes of the 2022 Super Rugby competition. Bird made his rugby debut while at Lincoln University, playing for Canterbury. He then went on to play ….
Black Ferns Two Years Without Test Rugby
By the time New Zealand’s Black Ferns get to play test rugby again, they’ll have gone two years without playing as much as a single test match. Such has been the impact of the ongoing global crisis on the sporting calendar. An overseas tour is possibly in the offing for ….
Sevens Star Says She’s Dreaming Of Whistle
So eager has Sevens star Rubi Tui become to get back to playing sport that she’s started to hear a whistle in her dreams. New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens have been severely impacted by the global sports hiatus – and perhaps more so than most other national NZ sporting teams. ….
No Use Sulking Says Hurricanes Hooker
Dane Coles says there’s no cause to be made for crying over spilt milk and that what the Hurricanes really need right now is an honest approach – from players as well as coaches. The Hurricanes hooker recently commented on a disappointing Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign that saw the franchise ….
Rob Penney Blamed For Waratahs Decline – And Sacked
After 18 months of coaching the Waratahs, Rob Penney has been shown the door. This comes after the team experienced five consecutive loses in the beginning of the year. This dire record has been a shocker for fans and bettors alike, and now the team has taken action. However, Penney ….