Why Quinn Tupaea's selection in the All Blacks was always inevitable
Quinn Tupaea has always been a player with extremely high prospects in the shadows ahead.
The scary thing is that his career is really only beginning on the main stage. Tupaea certainly hadn’t let go of his All Blacks ambitions following his untimely knee injury two months ago, he just thought his shot would have to wait another season.
Ian Foster’s first All Blacks squad for 2021 packs a punch, but not in the way some may have expected. This is a team that is built around established experience but also leaves a lot of headroom for new talent that Foster and co see as the future in some very key positions.
As one of the four new faces, Tupaea really stands out as one who could bolster the physicality in the midfield.
It has taken less than three years as a professional for the laid-back character to achieve international selection.
It all started in school rugby. With the luxury of representing Hamilton Boy’s High School, there is little doubt that cutting his teeth at one of the best rugby schools in New Zealand under a coach with the pedigree of Nigel Hotham put the 22-year old in great position to go forward with what were undeniable skill sets.
As it turns out, this was also when Tupaea discovered a drive to one day be an All Black.
“I started really thinking about it when I was at high school in Year 12 and 13 when I was playing First XV”, Tupaea told media on Tuesday.
“It’s exciting to be in the All Blacks setup and to learn off the experienced midfielders they have there is pretty exciting too so it will be about me getting in there and developing my game.”
It’s the midfield which has garnered a lot of attention in the build-up to first All Black squad announcement of the year.
The policy of selecting new players such as Tupaea to develop them for future stardom is a ploy not unheard of within the All Blacks and it may again turn out to be a smart move.
Some might say that the big, blasting ball-runner is still unseen in this particular back line. Ngani Laumape fitted that role perfectly, and with him completely out of the picture, the challenge is to find that next genuine physical specimen that can keep opposition defences two to a man at any time.
The All Blacks’ midfield will look very different to the one that lined up last year. #AllBlacks https://t.co/XXaWkpoE9O
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 22, 2021
The All Blacks need to find this asset fast, for the health of others in the midfield if anything else. What’s also true is that the eyes don’t lie in rugby. Tupaea could be the man for this role at some point in the future.
Many would’ve noticed that he elevated his game to another level this season. Of note, the performance that Tupaea put in against the Blues during Super Rugby Aotearoa showed a new level of intensity to his running and power game.
During the 2020/21 offseason, it was noticeable to all in Chiefs country that Tupaea had added some weight to his 97kg frame.
Coupled with a desire to get involved and carry harder, Tupaea says he won’t be arriving into the All Blacks environment lacking any confidence.
“I’m pretty confident in my ball carrying abilities and would like to think I work pretty hard around the field supporting players and working hard on defence making tackles.
“Learning game plans for me this year and last year has become pretty easy and the habits I’ve had during game weeks about learning stuff. I’m pretty confident in learning a new playbook and being able to use that on the field.”
Confidence, you sense, has carried Tupaea well through his journey from schoolboy star, captaining New Zealand Schools, making a serious impression with Waikato in the NPC, and then the Chiefs in Super Rugby.
Couple that with the evidence that this confidence can be backed up, perhaps it was inevitable that Foster and the All Blacks would come calling.
Comments on RugbyPass
What a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
1 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
4 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
4 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to comments