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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 195 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 201 days ago

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

J
Jacque 201 days ago

WFT? Number what- 5 or 6?

D
DP 201 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 201 days ago

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

D
DP 201 days ago

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

S
SK 201 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 201 days ago

Like to see him get a run at 8

N
Nickers 201 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 201 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 201 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 201 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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JW 26 minutes ago
'I feel for the players': Jamie Joseph's reflection on falling short again

Some great leadership quality from Big Jim, he facilitated for large parts then put the responsibility on himself at the end drive the team forward in the last desperate minutes. He also filled in for Withy extremely well, adding real strength to the maul.


The Force have been playing very well this year indeed, and their stars did make a couple of key players, the main factor though is definitely what I reported in the previous article “

Gotta say I’m really enjoying the Highlanders desperation in the last 10 minutes of games, maybe it’s just because theyre having to throw the kitchen sink at it again. Another massive effort to hold the opposition out just like in the Blues game. I’m sure the coach’s will be wanting a little more composure though as the play seems to far more hap hazard (really just the type of footy I like watching) than the picture they bring at the beggining of games.

Again though they don’t have the refs to thank for anything, being down a man twenty more minutes than they should have been. Most importantly they were without one of they best attackers (not counting Tangitau’s early change) for the final push, with Nareki’s bin.

Again, I can see where this team is trying to go, I hope they can get their this year as they certainly have the game to be a top four team if they click. They are munch of misfits when you look at it objectively though, they probably have the worst cohesion score of any SRP team. A few more wins, maybe a come from behind upset may be the best theey can hope to acheive this year.

“. Like Jim I thought the defence stood up strongly for large parts, but they may just have some structural issues, where it’s just not paying off. They had Lawaqa on the wing all day, allowed the Force to make a dozen linebreaks, why? Both there attack and defence look a bit too fancy for me, why? Common Joseph, the youngest team with the least cohesion/most new guys, it look overly complicated.


I hope it clicks. Manson in particular looked to be trying far too hard when he came on, what’s been said in his ear? Stick to you lane son and don’t make any mistakes, don’t lose the game for your team. Should be a comfortable win next week against Drua if they keep there heads up and come back stronger. Lasaqa might be best to come off the bench, would keep Jim at 12 but I’d like Tele’a to come back to the side, though TUJ hasn’t been bad and style might suit Drua more. Hopefully Renton or someone with some size is at 8 or 6, Lasaqa appears to be more an 8 actually, similar to Sititi and I wouldn’t mind if he was groomed behind him and Sotutu. Lennox I thought could make a good halfback but isn’t ready, I’d hope Arscott, Fakatava, or Pledger could return to the side. Other than Drua theyve got Cheifs twice, though the home game is the last of the round/season so potentially a gimme if the Chiefs repeat previous years tactics. The Crusaders and Moana at home are also very doable. Those four wins could see them crash into the top 6 still.

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