Waisake Sotutu says his son and Blues number eight Hoskins Sotutu needs to keep playing well because he has a long way to go.

Waisake, Fiji’s vice-captain to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, fired the warning after Hoskins has been praised by many fans on social media after his outstanding performance in the first two rounds of the Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Hoskins played a man of the match performance in the 24 – 12 win over the Chiefs on Saturday night, scoring the Blues opening try.

Fiji will miss out

Many of the fans, including former Flying Fijian wing Nemani Nadolo, said Hoskins would definitely don the All Blacks jersey.

Nadolo tweeted; “Hoskins Sotutu, Future All Blacks. I’m afraid Fiji will miss out… He is a freak of a player and only 21.”

“Probably what other people are saying are selective and Hoskins has a long way to go,” Waisake said from Auckland yesterday.

“He just needs to keep playing well.”

Like any parent, he is proud of his son who is just 21 years old.

“Any parent who watches their kids play sport will be proud. You’re everybody’s pride when you are playing well,”Waisake said.

“When you’re not playing so well or struggling to play well, that is the time you need to get support as well.

“At the time it’s going well, everyone is talking about him, so he got to make sure to keep performing.”

Waisake indicated that rugby has changed so much since his time having played for Auckland in 1991-97, playing four times for the Blues making his debut in 1996.

“The games are so different now from when I was playing but he (Hoskins) is a different type of player,”Waisake said.

“He is way better than me compared to when I was 21.”

Rugby six days a week

He described his son as someone who loves rugby more than anything.

“He is a fulltime rugby player, he does not have time to do anything else, it’s six days a week,” Waisake said.

Flying Fijians or All Blacks?

Hoskins may represent Fiji but it would be a tough decision to make given conditions in his Super Rugby contract.

“If he was to pick another country then that depends on his Super Rugby contract,” Waisake said.

“Rugby is his job, so there’s a lot to think about, when you make that decision.

“The other thing is he has lived all his life in New Zealand.

“But making a decision that early could change his rugby career, so it is something he should think about.”

The Blues host the Highlanders on Saturday, Crusaders play the Chiefs at the Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday while the Hurricanes have a bye.

Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj