HOSKINS SOTUTU

Position
Loose forward

Blues debut
2019 v Crusaders

Blues caps
66

Blues points
135

Born
12/07/98

Height
192cm

Weight
106kg

Province
Counties Manukau

Hoskins is a Sacred Heart College old boy who represented the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2016 before being selected in the New Zealand Under-20s team in 2018. 

Sotutu, the son of former Blues winger, Waisake Sotutu, was part of the Blues team that won the Brisbane 10s in 2018. He made his full Blues debut against the Crusaders in Christchurch in Round 15 of the 2019 season. 

2020 saw Hoskins establish himself as the one of the premier Number Eights in the country. Gifted with size and speed, Sotutu also showed a deft touch, accurate passing and even a tidy kicking game too. He was selected in the ‘North’ squad for the ‘North v South’ clash where his performance demanded selection to even higher honours. 

Hoskins made his All Blacks debut from the bench in Wellington, before making his starting debut in a Bledisloe Cup winning performance in Sydney two weeks later. Sotutu played five times for the All Blacks in 2020. 

Not one to rest on his laurels, Hoskins took his game up another level in 2021. While working hard to place himself among Super Rugby’s best in carries, offloads & tries, he also demonstrated an increasingly physical and confrontational dimension to his breakdown play.  

This all-round game proved invaluable as the Blues went on to win their first title in 18 years, with Hoskins more often than not involved in each game's decisive moments.  

Through 2022 and 2023 Sotutu was once again a powerhouse for the Blues in their run to the Finals. He was one of the Blues best forwards in their 2023 campaign, his dynamic running and ball skills on full display in the early part of the competition. His versatility was also on show at training, running in the backline as a contingency measure when injury hit the squad. 

Hoskins’ dynamic and exciting skill-set is now complemented with hard-earned experience. In 2024, Sotutu had arguably his best season of Super Rugby. His full array of skills were on show, and he was regularly involved in match defining moments. The stats back up his superb season -  he was the equal top try scorer (12), second highest offloader (21), sat in the top 10 for carries and was the Blues’ most prolific lineout forward. His excellence was recognised by the Blues as Players’ Player of the Year while he was also awarded the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year across the entire competition. 

Despite a season to remember, Sotutu was unable to secure national selection, with many rugby pundits feeling he must have been close to regaining an All Blacks jersey. Sotutu will be back with the Blues for 2025 and if you thought he was good in ‘24, set him down as ‘one to watch’ in ’25. 

Hoskins is contracted with the Blues through until the end of the 2026 season.