Vaea Fifita: Wasps' new All Blacks arrival - all you need to know.

[Rossm]

Hurricanes and All Blacks forward will be playing Gallagher Premiership rugby next season

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/vaea-fifita-wasps-all-blacks-20953252

[Steve from Cov]

Avoid playing him in the second row suggests the NZ journalist that BB spoke to.

[Neils]

Interesting view

[Rossm]

As an aside, I enjoyed the NZ journo's comment: "Jeff To’omaga-Allen can talk anyone’s ear off"

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Avoid playing him in the second row suggests the NZ journalist that BB spoke to.

Not being in the scrum as lock, OK, but that doesn't stop him being more like a lock at lineout. Two entirely different skill sets.

[HDAWG]

Shame, I was hoping he would play lock. But hearing he's preferred at flanker means he may be a bench player for versatility. Still think we should look at French teams for using tall, offloading, powerful locks for inspiration.

I'm glad he's got Fekitoa here, some Tongan support between eachother. And from Instagram posts the Tongan guys from other teams hangout regularly (covid permitting obviously).

[Shugs]

Interesting - it is just the NZ journo's opinion. When he played lock for the Canes in 2016 they won the title so he is obviously very capable there. Also, I would have thought Blackett would have chatted with him about where he saw him playing before they both committed. Fundamentally though, I just see him as a Wasps type player.

[hookender]

NZ journo seems surprised that he would make move to NH. Hopefully Blackett has had a good conversation about what is expected ,and he has had a good chat with The ex canes and Fekitoa, so realises what is needed

[Jac A]

I want to apologies if this comes across as any way negative: I am thrilled we have Vaea, he's an awesome prospect and it's a real sign of our ambition - he was right up there on my dream list of players. I did think I would comment on here as I'm also a Canes fan and have followed them for a few years now and seen what has gone on with Vaea in Wellington.

I do agree with a lot of what Hamish Bidwell says - I think he's very honest and it summarise a lot about what Canes' fans feel about Vaea and his departure.

He did play lock for the Canes' title winning season - partly because the first choice backrow then was Shields, Savea, Vito; partly because that's where Canes were weakest in depth (Mark Abbot and Blade Thompson were the main cover that if I remember) and partly because he is a very decent lock.

The issues is that he hasn't consistently shown that he can do the tight work that is often required: (as Hamish says) carrying in traffic, hitting rucks and making tackles close to the fringes. For most teams, this kind of bread and butter work falls to the locks, Will Rowlands is an excellent example here, he always had high numbers of carries, usually at first or second receiver and always worked hard disrupting the breakdown (albeit this did mean he had a high penalty count). Vaea works best in the outside channels: in a 1-3-3-1, he prefers to be a 1 and that is usually a back-row or hooker (for the Canes, Dane Coles is almost a winger). There was a feeling among some fans that Vaea wasn't always playing for the team and committed to what the coaches wanted and would shirk some of his 'grunt' work. For the ABs he was used as a loose forward - very much Kaino size and shape and ability at the lineout - and he looked really good at 6 for them, but at the Canes they wanted their 6 to be like Brad Shields and so when Brad left for us and Vaea didn't play like Brad, fans, pundits and coaches if his lack of selection is anything to go by got frustrated.

BUT he isn't at the Canes now, he's with us. We have a backrow who will graft - he was at his best alongside Shields - our hookers are happier in the tight and Gaskell and Stooke are both (gifted and skilful) workhorses. I think that he will get some time at 4 while we wait for Lauchbury to return but I would imagine that he will start off coming off the bench for a while to get used to the different physicality and style in the NH and as he hasn't had a great deal of game-time recently. Lee has alluded to us still looking for another back-up lock so I'm not sure Fifita is being looked at as an out and out lock but more for his versatility.

Bitterness is the wrong word, but there is perhaps a frustration in NZ and the Canes in particular that a player with his physique and skillset didn't go on to nail down a AB place hence some of the underwhelming comments for such a gifted player. I think a change of location, having Canes teammates and Malakai, probably linking in with Vailanu even though he's left the club and our style of play will suit him. He may take a while to come good and I think we'll have to expect a bit of rustiness at first but I'm really happy he's here.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I think Fifita has a fairly unique set of abilities that makes it difficult to slot him in to a team. At the traditional role of 6 (where it seems he is best placed at scrum time) or lock (if you want to go there), he doesn't exactly excel at the standard formula role. He simply doesn't fit a 'normal' team. Eddie wouldn't like him, and I guess he faced the same problem at Canes and the ABs.

Like it or not, we have obviously spent some money on him. It would be a shame if the coaches tried to 'mould' him to what they 'need' of a 6. Look at the debate we have had around Barbeary. Is he a hooker? Not by my definition. Is he a back row? Not really. Is he a centre? No, too big and too slow.

On that basis, he doesn't get a game. Same with Fifita. Find a way to have him on the pitch, then tell him to go do his thing. Disrupt lineouts? Yes. A defensive sweeper? Yes. A formation attacker? No. Bash through the middle? No. He likes to run long runs. Fortunately, most Premiership teams love to kick long balls. So, let him have them. When you have players that break the mould, don't try to mould them. Wasps have long been known for these maverick type of players.

[Shugs]

Exactly my thoughts Nelly. We are moving away slightly from the number on the players back dictating what they do in the game. I generally want my props to scrum with anything else a bonus. Outside of that there are things that need to happen on the pitch and as long as the personnel you have can do that all is good. I agree with what most have said about him needing time to settle but instinctively it feels like he will have Wasps "DNA".

[Rossm]

He'll have a lot of support at Wasps: Brad and JTA are former teammates at the 'Canes and Malakai is a fellow Tongan. They'll be able to give Lee and the other coaches plenty of feedback. I think Lee will have learnt a lot from the club's Sopoaga experience, how important it is for SH players to get a firm foundation before getting heavily involved in the Prem rugby.

[Nigel Med]

I can't help thinking that we signed him primarily as a lock given the departure of Will Rowlands and injury to Joe and clearly he's a great lineout operator. As for the rest of his game, when I saw the highlights reel I thought that we hadn't so much signed a replacement for Rowlands, more a replacement for Simon Shaw! Great line out operator, superb handling skills and often found popping up on the wing to score tries!

Pretty unique player but if we can get our mojo back and return to the attacking game that was so devastating at the end of last season he'll fit in extremely well.