1
Rassie Erasmus has tried to hide it, but he can't hide no more
53
{{item.n}}
'He's in some form at the moment; I think he's the best 12 in the world'
4 Comments
Share 
When Quinn Tupaea was crowned the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year back in June, he would have been well within his rights to wonder whether the new All Blacks selectors would share the view that he is New Zealand’s premier N0.12. But that thought never truly manifested.
Instead, Tupaea finished the 2026 club season with the impression that the man he lined up against in the Super Rugby Pacific final was not only in better form than him, but in better form than any other inside centre in the world.
Jordie Barrett, who led the Hurricanes to a 60-5 demolition of the Chiefs in the most one-sided final in Super Rugby history, was always going to be the starting All Blacks No.12, and Tupaea was going to have to fit in wherever incoming head coach Dave Rennie saw him best utilised.
That would turn out to be the No. 13 jersey, not an entirely unfamiliar position for Tupaea, but not the one in which he’s cut his teeth in professional rugby. The selection has, however, created one of the more well-balanced and dangerous midfield partnerships in Test rugby.
“It’s been awesome. He’s in some form at the moment; I think he’s the best 12 in the world,” Tupaea told RugbyPass in Cape Town when asked about his burgeoning combination with Barrett.
“So, we know each other’s strengths, and you’ll see that on the field. We change around a little bit. I like to work around him; he’s a great playmaker, so I just give him some space and then work off him because he’s going to make things happen.
“We know each other’s skills, and we can adapt on the fly if someone needs to do something for the other.”
Tupaea says that “adapting to 13 took a few games”, but he’s had plenty of people to lean on in his transition, and not just teammates. All Blacks icon Tana Umaga, now the team’s defence coach, has been on hand to offer words of wisdom, emerging as a major influence on Tupaea’s Test season to date.
“When you move positions, you have to think a little bit more, and it doesn’t come as easy or flow as nicely, so it took a couple of games to get that, and training and learning off guys that have played centre before,” Tupaea explained.
“I think my transition’s where it needs to be at the moment. Very happy where I’m at, but there’s a lot of growth to come.”
The bustling Tupaea made just four carries in the All Blacks’ win over the Springboks in Johannesburg. Fast forward one week to Cape Town, and he’s pummeling the South African line with a game-high of 14 carries. The increased involvement in the game saw Tupaea end the match with two try assists.
The new All Blacks attack, led by Rennie and attack coach Mike Blair, appears to have won over the playing group, and Tupaea describes it as “exciting”.
“We have a license to play from everywhere,” he says. “We have a deep understanding of our game; we’ve been together for a couple of months now, so it’s becoming second nature. At the start, it was a lot to get your mind around, how Rens and Mikey want to play the game.
“But a lot of combinations are gelling, and it’s flowing quite nicely.”
Another initiative the coaches have implemented is quantifying work rate through a bespoke metric named B.I.G.G.A., which is published every Monday. Those who fall below the required metric are put through a gruelling extra training session with Rennie on Tuesdays.
“I’ve passed all of my tests, so I haven’t had to do any extras with him on a Tuesday,” Tupaea grinned. “It’s actually funny, you’re in the bottom of a ruck, and you think about the word that we use; I can’t say it, but it gets you off the floor a bit quicker. It just puts emphasis on hard work and getting back in the line and being an option for your team.
“It’s expected in every team, but no team that I’ve been a part of has put a name on it or a measuring stick on it. It’s awesome; the stats come out on Monday nights, and you see if you’ve passed or not. It’s a pretty eager watch.”
Johannesburg is calling once more for the All Blacks, this time in front of 90-odd thousand at Soweto’s FNB Stadium. The city made a strong impression on Tupaea two weeks ago, and with an even bigger crowd confirmed for a pivotal third Test in the four-game series, the Kiwis are expecting the atmosphere to lift once more.
“It’s different over here,” Tupaea marvelled. “The crowd and the country get right behind their team. The atmosphere of the ground and the history of the field, it’s something you don’t really experience in New Zealand.
“There was a lot of build-up throughout the year of knowing we were getting into Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. The anthems were amazing, and the respect they showed our haka was pretty special as well. It was a very special occasion.”
Watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry LIVE
Two rugby giants collide. Stream live, replays and highlights free on RugbyPass TV.
