Blues loose forward Hoskins Sotutu who has links to Fiji will remain at the Blues until 2022. 21-year-old Sotutu has added a further two years to his initial contract after joining the Blues in 2019, having come through the organisation’s development programme, playing for Auckland and New Zealand Under-20s.
Sotutu has been a standout player in the Super Rugby this year with nearly 500m in carries, an average of around 50m per game, and is currently fourth highest in this part of the game in the Super Rugby Aotearoa statistics.
He averages over eight tackles per game and is currently top of the tackle count in Super Rugby Aotearoa with 38 in three games.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald says Sotutu has been one of the team’s stand-out player so far this season, and has a unique skill set which is well-rounded.
MacDonald says Sotutu got his chance to play for the Blues with the work he did in the pre-season and has continued to deliver game-in, game-out, and is developing from a very quiet teenager to a real contributor off the field also.
The Blues expect to finalise other contract extensions before the end of the competition.
Sotutu played several sports as a young teenager before taking the advice of his father, former Fiji, Blues and Auckland back Waisake Sotutu, to “give rugby a good shot” when he was 17, playing two years for the Sacred Heart College 1st XV.
[Source: blues.rugby]
