Wallabies great weighs in on All Blacks centre as Super Rugby’s form 12

Wallabies great Michael Hooper believes it’s fair to say Quinn Tupaea is the form inside centre in Super Rugby Pacific, after the Chiefs midfielder powered over for a double in Saturday’s 42-14 win over the NSW Waratahs in Hamilton.

Tupaea leads the way in the race for Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year honours after eight rounds, having polled full votes from the statement result at FMG Stadium Waikato. Western Force playmaker Ben Donaldson is five votes back in second place.

In seven starts this season, Tupaea averages more than 70 minutes of playing time and has scored four tries. As well as the double against the Waratahs, the 26-year-old crossed for a try in a loss to the Crusaders and a bounce-back win over Moana Pasifika.

Tupaea was in the top three for total carries (12) and running metres (51) against the Tahs, while making a difference with a try on either side of the half-time break. It’s the type of form that doesn’t go unnoticed, as Hooper discussed this week.

“I don’t think that’s a reach at the moment to say that he’s the form 12 of this competition at the moment, he’s been outstanding,” Hooper said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“His attack, his defence. A couple of weeks ago against the Tahs he’s over the ball multiple times getting turnovers so there’s so much to like about that guy’s game.

“He’s a real threat and you’ve got to think someone like a Dave Rennie is going to really be thinking about what he would look like in an All Black jersey more commonly.”

Tupaea’s first try saw the Chiefs extend their advantage to beyond a converted try, and the home side never looked back from there. The Chiefs went into the sheds leading 23-7 before the inside centre completed a double early in the second term.

With first five-eighth Josh Jacomb adding the extras after Tupaea’s second, the Chiefs raced out to a commanding 23-point lead. Samipeni Finau and Kyren Taumoefolau capped off the dominant win with another try each before full-time.

That win has seen the Chiefs rise into third-place on the Super Rugby Pacific standings, moving ahead of the ACT Brumbies who had a bye in round eight. New Zealand rivals the Hurricanes and Blues are the only two teams placed ahead of the Chiefs.

“When you start looking at the Chiefs and you watch this game, if you do watch it back, look at some of their cleanout work, look at some of the work around the ball. This is what the Chiefs have been so amazing at for so many years,” Hooper explained.

“Once they get into this 22 they are so dangerous and they get into the 22 a lot. The Waratahs just didn’t have much answers for what the Chiefs forwards were dishing up on the weekend.”