Former All Black Hoskins Sotutu confirms departure ahead of looming switch to England
Wednesday, 24 December 2025
Former All Black Hoskins Sotutu has stepped closer to an unprecedented switch of allegiances after confirmation of his move to English club Newcastle.
The Newcastle Red Bulls announced the signing of the 14-test No 8 on Wednesday (NZ time) for next season and accelerated the chances of him playing for England ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Sotutu last played for the All Blacks under Ian Foster in 2022 — his final test was a 25-25 draw against England at Twickenham — but the 27-year-old has not been selected since Scott Robertson became coach last year.
His prospects of representing the All Blacks again dimmed when he was overlooked in Robertson’s first squad, despite being named Super Rugby Pacific’s player of the year in 2024 when the Blues won their first major title in 21 years.
Sotutu is eligible for Fiji through his father Waisake, who played for the Pacific nation at international level, and qualifies for England via his mother. He appears to have chosen the latter in mapping out a comeback to test rugby.
World Rugby allows players to switch to another nation after completing a three-year stand-down period. In England, players must be operating with an English club to be eligible in test rugby and Sotutu would be available once his contract with Newcastle begins.
England are yet to select a player who has represented another national at senior level in the modern era. Sotutu could be the first, although he will have to fight hard to earn his spot because England have a strong group of loose forwards.
Steve Borthwick’s side have been on a run of hot form this year, too, winning 11 tests in a row and beating the All Blacks 33-19 at Twickenham.
He could nevertheless be an asset for England because of his powerful carrying, deft handling, athleticism and a try-scoring knack that has made him of the most effective loose forwards in Super Rugby.
Sotutu will join Newcastle on a three-year deal and complete one more season with the Blues. The exact timing of his exit from New Zealand will be determined.
Players seeing out the final year of their contracts with New Zealand Rugby might play in the NPC — Sotutu’s province is Counties Manukau — that runs until October. The English club season starts in September.
“I am excited to be committing to Newcastle Red Bulls' project moving forward, and coming to compete in the Gallagher PREM week in, week out,” Sotutu said in a statement.
“The club made it clear to me how ambitious they are, and I am looking forward to getting started.
“I have enjoyed my time at the Blues and am looking to finish on a high before hitting the ground running in the North East of England.”
Newcastle also signed former Crusaders loose forward Tom Christie, who made his debut last month, and have the backing of Red Bull’s riches in aiming to lift the club out of the doldrums after years of struggling in the English Premiership.
“This is a huge signing which brings major firepower into the club, and sends a message around the league,” Newcastle’s sporting general manager Neil McIlroy said in a statement.
“Hoskins is a player who was very much in demand from other teams, but he has seen what is being planned at Newcastle Red Bulls and wants to be part of it.
“He’s an X-factor player who will make a big impact on the field, and the way he plays will get people off their seats.
“The profile of the club and the Gallagher PREM as a whole will grow massively as a result of him joining us, and this is a signing which shows we really mean business.”
Sotutu has made 79 appearances for the Blues since his debut in 2019 and first played for the All Blacks in 2020.