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'Right up there with the world's best': All Black lock hitting new heights

New Zealand's lock Tupou Vaa'i celebrates after New Zealand's hooker Codie Taylor (unseen) scored their team's first try during the Rugby Championship Test match between South Africa and New Zealand at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on August 31, 2024. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

One of the standouts of the challenging 2024 season has been the emergence of Tupou Vaa’i, who forwards coach Jason Ryan has praised as one of the “world’s best”.

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The All Blacks have managed injuries to Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu and captain Scott Barrett throughout parts of 2024, opening the door for the younger second rows to take the lead.

Sam Darry impressed in parts against Argentina but it has been Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i who has gone to another level after the two Tests against South Africa. Vaa’i was disruptive at the Springboks’ lineout and a force at the breakdown and around the park, winning loose ball and ruck penalties.

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All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan said he’s been the form All Black forward and is now knocking on the door of the “world’s best” conversation.

“I think he’s been exceptional,” forwards coach Jason Ryan said of Vaa’i.

“I think he’s, you know, probably been one of the in-form All Black forwards, in his area, in this test season.

“It’s a continuation, he had great form for the Chiefs. And, you know, he’s well established in the Test arena now.

“And he’s right up there with the world’s best. And it’s a real credit to him. He’s becoming a man, I guess. And you know, his future is all still in front of him, that’s for sure.

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“So it’s exciting, and I’m really proud of Tups of how he has taken the bull by the horns, and been exceptional mentally.”

The 24-year-old’s rise through international rugby has paid off. The All Blacks invested in Vaa’i in 2020, handing him a debut as a young 20-year-old.

There has been some bumps along the way, like the 2023 Rugby World Cup pool game against France where Vaa’i was thrown in the deep end as a blindside flanker.

But now four years later he has became an integral part of the second row. Scott Robertson revealed he has been running the All Blacks’ lineout calls.

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With starting hooker Codie Taylor on the field, the lineout has been operating at a near perfect completion rate, a testament to Vaa’i’s growing influence.

Ryan explained that the form of the pair was the main reason that the bench was used sparingly in the Cape Town Test.

Codie Taylor was on fire. So why bring him off? Tupou Vaa’i was also on fire, and Fletcher Newell tweaked his calf in the warm up and stirred it up at half-time,” he said on why Asafo Aumua, Sam Darry, and Newell saw limited action. 

“So there’s your three answers for that.

“But I think how you use your bench, you got to be careful around what’s pre-planned and what’s actually relative to what’s happening in front of you. And I think that’s a balance.

“And as coaches, we’ve talked around how we can have the best impact from our bench.

“I think I said after the first Test, we’ve got some younger men that are that are learning their trade in the Test arena.

So how we bring them on into what the game’s actually doing is important for their confidence as well.”

Whilst Ryan was relatively happy from the progression of the forward pack’s performance from Johannesburg to Cape Town, he wants the pack to strive higher for more.

“The next steps got to be one that’s forward,” Ryan put bluntly.

“And I think that, you know, against the Australian pack, it’ll need to be, I think, around our scrum, I believe we can get a little bit more more out of that.

“And I also believe we can get better quality ball at our lineout for the backs. So that’s, you know, an area that will be a focus, and probably the breakdown, I’m naming and everything here, but the carry and clean, you know, they’ve got good jackals across the ground.”

 

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Comments

15 Comments
M
Md1991 191 days ago

If only New Zealand had as much talent when it came to sports journalism… Reading Ben Smith is like reading the onion. Good for a laugh, not very much else

b
bd 197 days ago

When I see author Ben Smith I pass. He's better without the pen

J
Jacque 197 days ago

WFT? Number what- 5 or 6?

D
DP 197 days ago

Excellent player, great watching him play, dynamic with a massive skillset, not quite yet at the stage Benny-boy makes him out to be but he's obviously a seriously talented individual.

C
CR 197 days ago

Good workhorse player like Mostert, but not someone who will change a game for you.

D
DP 197 days ago

Maybe not yet but the bloke is awesome, look forward to watching him develop.

S
SK 197 days ago

not surprising how he has come through. finally seems to be coming of age at the right time and now has over 30 caps to his name. He is hardly a rookie but certainly developing well. Dont think he is one of the best yet but has shown he has the capability.

B
Bruiser 197 days ago

Like to see him get a run at 8

N
Nickers 197 days ago

He's finally putting in some consistently good performances but why the need to label him as one of the world's best? He has had half a good season in international rugby. Maybe he's entered the conversation for top 20 in international rugby but no more than that.

T
Toaster 197 days ago

He’s been outstanding and a real surprise

Maybe we haven’t seen enough of him or Ryan has instilled belief in him?

He’s playing like a young Itoje

D
DM 197 days ago

Yes Vaa'i Has definitely stepped up, I think Darry has been playing well too and would like to see some more of him somewhere.

T
Toaster 197 days ago

We need to resist the urge to bring Tuipolotu back in this week

It won’t happen but personally I’d like to see Darry and Vaai to start

Jordie to lead the team and Scooter to come off the bench this weekend

Jordie paring with Proctor as a Canes combo

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

Yep, another problem!


I think he would have, in the instance I mentioned, which wasn’t changing anything other than correctly applying todays eligibility quidelines. Which is an arbitrary construct, as the deal likely would have played out completely differently, but I just ‘allowed’ him to have 1 year sabbatically for his ‘loyalty’, rather than having some arbitrary number like 70 caps required.


So if Richie had a 3 year deal, and the first year he was allowed to use him still, I don’t think he’d really not transition to Dmac being his main 10, as he’s obviously the only one he can use for the following two years, therefore likely his only real option for the WC (very hard for Richie to overtake him in such a short time). Richie would purely be a security net in a situation like I proposition where there are only small changes to the eligibility.


The system is not working well enough though, as we don’t have the Rugby Championship or World Cup trophies, do we? Well on that last question, that’s all I’m really saying but I would not believe a word this author says, so it’s entirely a ‘what if’ discussion, but if the author is right and now they are actually going to be more flexible, I think that’s great yeah. Ultimately thought I think those two players were an anomaly signing their contracts and futures up so far ahead, especially of when they were performing. Both jumped at the opportunity of good contracts when their All Black prospects weren’t looking that bright.

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