It’s only fitting Wallace Sititi starts against Scotland at Murrayfield this weekend. How could he not, given the connection to his namesake.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson isn’t in the business of selecting solely to enhance narratives.
Sititi, last year’s World Rugby breakthrough player of the year, earned his promotion after an influential performance off the bench against Ireland in Chicago to replace Simon Parker and continue the ever-shifting evolution of the contestable All Blacks blindside flanker role.
After featuring in his favoured No 8 position for the All Blacks earlier this year, Sititi appears primed to push his case as the long-term blindside, with Peter Lakai’s arrival at the back of the scrum altering the complexion of the dynamic loose forward trio alongside Ardie Savea.
While Sititi’s starting selection is for rugby reasons, primarily his ball carrying punch, his Scottish plotline is compelling.
Sititi will forever be linked with Scotland after his father, Samoan legend Lemalu ‘Semo’ Sititi, helped revive the Border Reivers professional team in the early 2000s.
Semo Sititi was signed by former All Blacks assistant coach Tony Gilbert and played alongside now Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, Gary Armstrong and Doddie Weir at the Border club.
On one particular outing, Gilbert took the Border team to the William Wallace statue near the Tweed (16km from Galashiels) to share the history of the Scottish war leader, who helped drive out the English presence in the push for independence, and why it was special to represent the Reivers side.
That clearly left a notable impression on Semo Sititi, who also loved the movie Braveheart.
Semo Sititi’s wife, Rosaline, was due to give birth to their second child in Scotland while he was playing for Border but after her father fell ill, she returned to Samoa. Wallace Sititi was born there but he returned to Scotland to spend his early years at primary school in Galashiels.
“She ended up having me in Samoa while my dad was stuck here playing under Tony Gilbert,” Wallace recalled as he prepares to run out at Murrayfield in his first trip back to Scotland since those early years.
“He wouldn’t let him go back. I think they were playing a big quarter-final so he couldn’t let him go as a coach.
“My dad was not present back in Samoa at my birth so he named me after William Wallace because he loved the movie Braveheart. My parents thought the name William was a bit too common, so I ended up with Wallace.”
Sititi has soaked in everything that comes with returning to Scotland, which included touring the iconic Edinburgh Castle situated a short walk up the hill from the All Blacks team hotel on the Royal Mile.
Come this weekend, though, he will seek to be the antithesis of a Scottish hero.
“It’s a strong connection for myself and my family. It’s been a special connection being back here to experience it. It’s my first time back here and against the Scottish as well.”
Sititi’s parents planned to be at Murrayfield but with his eldest sister, Maruseana, reaching the finals of Miss Samoa, they are supporting her this week.
“It’s been a special week leading into a big game. My parents would love to be here but, unfortunately, they can’t, so I’m doing this for them, myself and my teammates.
“I’ve spoken to my dad a few times. He said they’ve got loud, passionate fans and players and a quality, well-coached side. We’ll expect their best and we’ll be at our best too.”
As the All Blacks search for a dominant blindside on both sides of the ball, Chiefs loose forward Parker started six tests this year to seemingly lock down the No 6 role.
After a quiet performance against Ireland in Chicago, though, Robertson has altered his loose trio, in the only unforced change to this week’s starting team, by reinstating Sititi to the position he turned heads in his rookie test season.
With Leicester Fainga’anuku and Sititi promoted to the starting side, the onus falls on the All Blacks bench to replicate the influential impact that sparked the late flourish in Chicago.
“Simon has had a lot of footy and Du’Plessis [Kirifi] is great over the ball so we’ve got a combination we believe will start and finish an important test match,” Robertson said.
Sititi and Lakai are not a duo the All Blacks long planned to start together this year but the young tyros are fast firming as the future and the now of the loose forwards.
“You don’t get too far ahead in the test arena. You plan for series and then you look at options. After the performances last week we believe it was a good chance to go with this combo.”
Robertson has otherwise, as expected, paid Scotland full respect by naming his strongest available team.
While Jordie Barratt has returned home to recover from his injuries, Scott Barrett is on track to return from his nasty cut to his knee that required a dozen stitches to regain the captaincy for England at Twickenham next week.
“That’s the plan. We’re pushing for next week,” Robertson said. “It’s healing well at the moment. It’s a day-by-day thing.”
With Scotland targeting their first win against the All Blacks in 120 years to mark Murrayfield’s centenary celebrations, there’s no escaping the significance of this occasion.
Beauden Barrett embraced his experiences of featuring in tight victories at Murrayfield in 2017 and 2022 to present to the team this week and reinforce how difficult this week’s challenge will be.
In 2017, Barrett pulled off a match-saving tackle in the corner on Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg to preserve the All Blacks’ unbeaten record in the 22-17 win.
“I thought Stuart was gone, to be honest, knowing about him and his threats,” Barrett said. “He broke the line, and thankfully, he ran out of time and space.
“That was one that could have got away on us. They were up for it. Ever since then, they’ve had really good belief. The way they attack and use the ball it’s good to watch, a good product of rugby, we’re very aware of that.”
All Blacks:
1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Fletcher Newell, 4 Josh Lord, 5 Fabian Holland, 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Ardie Savea (c), 8 Peter Lakai, 9 Cam Roigard, 10 Beauden Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 14 Leroy Carter, 15 Will Jordan.
Reserves: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Damian McKenzie.
Scotland:
15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.