Three months ago Julian Savea could not make the All Blacks’ team. Now they are counting on the man they call ‘The Bus’ to steamroller the defending champions into the World Cup final again.
– #360Rugby: Can anyone stop the All Blacks in England?
– RWC: Joubert misses out on semis after controversy
– #360view: Back to drawing board for northern hemisphere
– RWC: Meyer believes SA can down best-ever All Blacks
The 25-year-old scored a hat-trick of tries against France, evoking memories of Jonah Lomu as he barrelled over rather than around French defenders in their 62-13 quarter-final rout.
Speed, power and vision down the left flank and staunch under high ball, of which the Springboks will launch plenty, are what Savea brings to the table.
The quarter-final hat-trick took Savea’s tally to 38 from 39 Tests, one more than Lomu managed in 63 Tests before his legendary career was cut short by a severe kidney illness.
Springbok wing JP Pietersen, who will have the task of being the first line of defence against Savea on Saturday, admits to being a fan of both monster All Blacks wings. But believes it is unfair to draw comparisons.
“I don’t think you can compare him to Jonah Lomu because Lomu did something to the game that no-one else could have done; he changed the game,” said Pietersen who has scored four tries in this World Cup compared to Savea’s eight.
“But Julian is a great player in his own way and whatever he does, he does well. He is strong in contact, good under the ball and he can also kick.”
But there was no mistaking the similarities when Savea used his immense bulk – 1.92 metres and 112 kilograms – to take the short route to the line against France, running over Noa Nakaitaci and Scott Spedding on the way.
Savea, a humble person, is not comfortable with the comparison.
If any of the tries summed up tonight, it is this. Unreal from Savea. https://t.co/TjxhwJK0D7
— ByTheMin Sport (@ByTheMinSport) October 17, 2015
“I’ve always said that no one can come close to Jonah, he’s amazing,” Savea said. “I watched him in every home game in Wellington running over people like little kids. It’s awesome to be compared to him but I’m just doing my job as best I can.”
Flanker Victor Vito urged Savea to bring his A-game once again this Saturday.
“He’s a big game player and we really need another performance like that,” said Vito. “He knows he probably started off a bit slower at the front end of the year but he’s massive competitor. “He’s just gone away and worked at it and got his head in the right place and he’s back to his blockbusting best.”
