Quinn Tupaea knows more than most the resilience required to ride the rugby wave.
Tupaea starts his first homecoming test in Hamilton as the All Blacks seek to finish off the French on Saturday.
Running out at Waikato Stadium surrounded by Chiefs teammates – five in the starting backline – and with 18 friends and family in the crowd will be a moment to savour. Even more so for the dark times Tupaea overcame to regain his place in the All Blacks this year.
Three years ago, Tupaea’s World Cup hopes were dashed by a reckless cleanout from Wallabies lock Darcy Swain that destroyed his knee – rupturing one ligament and tearing the other in an ugly and unnecessary incident.
Tupaea’s path to recovery was painstaking. He endured lengthy rehab off the field and even when he returned for the Chiefs last year, he struggled to regain form as his knee continued to hold him back.
“I did nine to 10 months of medical rehab with the Chiefs medical staff and had awesome support there. My return to Super Rugby last year wasn’t how I wanted to play. I was pretty disappointed,” Tupaea reflected this week in Hamilton.
“I wasn’t fully confident in my knee last year. I was playing minutes but I was a bit hesitant in contact and second-guessing things. The knee was still a bit sore.”
During that time he harboured doubts about whether he would get another chance to add to the 14 test caps he earned between 2021 and 2023.
Support from parents Kelly and Brent and partner MacKenzie Jones, alongside Chiefs mental skills coach Aaron Walsh, proved formative in helping Tupaea push past those struggles.
“I’ve got great relationships with all of them. They’re people I can go to for advice. During my nine months of rehab there were a lot of dark times and they were definitely people who pulled me through.
“Aaron was pretty instrumental in my comeback confidence-wise wise to help me not overthink. He’s a good man around that and a guy I got along well with off the park as well. He loves his golf and coffee so we gelled around that sort of thing.
“Looking at the depth of midfielders in New Zealand and the level I was playing at was nowhere near the All Black standard. I always backed myself to get back here but this year a lot of hard work, grit and self-belief has given me the ability to play some good rugby with the Chiefs and get the call-up.”
Destructive and consistent on the carry and defence, adding a subtle kicking game and strong over the ball at the breakdown, Tupaea was among Super Rugby Pacific’s best midfielders this year.
Inclusion in the All Blacks July squad evoked similar emotions to his maiden naming, with his phone blowing up with messages of support.
“To rediscover my form this year and play some footy I’m proud of and get recalled into this squad was an amazing feeling. I’m stoked to be here.
“It’s been awesome to return to the squad and get some game time in test one off the bench.
“I’ve always felt the All Blacks games have been highly emotional. To do that in Hamilton, starting in front of friends and family, it’s going to be a special feeling but once that whistle goes I’ll be locked in. I played here off the bench against Argentina [in 2022] but it’s the first time starting here.”
The directive from the All Blacks to their second five-eighth is clear. They want their midfield punching forward, bending and breaking the line, to create space and attacking strike platforms.
While Jordie Barrett is locked as the All Blacks’ first-choice No 12, Tupaea’s direct approach suits that style too.
“Being powerful on both sides of the ball is something I pride myself on. I love carrying the ball and love the contact on defence. That’s something all the 12s in the All Blacks are good at and something the coaches are looking at – as well as having a high skill set.
“It’s a massive opportunity for me this week. Billy [Proctor] and Jordie have played amazingly the last couple of weeks so Anton [Lienert-Brown] and I won’t be taking it for granted.
“There is a bit of a Chiefs feel to the squad this week with eight in there. It makes things easier. I’ve played a lot of games of rugby with those guys. Those connections definitely help when the pressure comes on.”
A start on home soil marks Tupaea’s second coming in the All Blacks. Overcoming the doubts and forging through form frustrations is testament to his resilience that now offers a greater appreciation for the place he has regained.
With six midfielders in this squad, though, Tupaea understands the need to now prove he belongs.
“This is a place I want to be. A new squad gets named next week so perform this week and hopefully get named the week after is the mindset.”
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.