From the fringe to the forefront, Quinn Tupaea has evolved to become the unexpected glue of the All Blacks midfield.
Tupaea started his comeback test season as one of six midfielders selected in Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad.
Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane were the incumbent midfield pairing after establishing their combination for the best part of three years but as the All Blacks sought more from their attack, change loomed.
Robertson shifted Ioane to the wing for the first test of the season against France to entrust Hurricanes midfielders Barrett and Billy Proctor to combine, which left Tupaea largely contesting a bench role from July until early October.
Returning to the All Blacks for the first time three years after his long recovery from a horrific knee injury, Tupaea was prepared to be patient.
“I didn’t really have high expectations,” Tupaea reflects with the Herald this week in London, as he eyes his maiden start against England at Twickenham.
“There was a midfield that had been together for a long time in the All Blacks, with Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown all established players. It was always a goal to get back in this side and that had to be earned through a good Super season. Once I got in here it was no gimme to get game time.
“You always want to be playing, starting, but I’ve always been open to any opportunity. I was happy coming off the bench, being a team man, that’s what they drive in here. It’s a 23-man game nowadays. You’ve seen how important our bench is but I’m stoked to be in a starting role now.”
With his direct, powerful ball-carrying and assertive defence, Tupaea impressed in the impact role with notable contributions against the Springboks and Wallabies at Eden Park, to earn promotion for what would prove his breakout moment.
His chance didn’t come in his accustomed second five-eighth role, though.
Robertson surprised everyone, including Tupaea, by naming him to start at centre in the second Bledisloe Cup match in Perth.
Although Tupaea started his professional career at centre outside Dwayne Sweeney for Waikato, he hadn’t featured there in four years.
The midfield positions are distinctly nuanced. Centre is challenging on defence, with vastly more ground to cover on the outside, while also demanding distribution skills to set up the wings.
Tupaea always believed he had the ability to play centre but with Lienert-Brown and Daniel Rona in the Chiefs squad, he wasn’t needed there.
“Coming into the All Blacks with Jordie being one of the superstars and the starter at 12, there was an opportunity to play a little bit of 13 off the bench and getting that start in Perth was unexpected.
“I hadn’t played centre since my first year of Super. Even bench roles it was more 12 and a little bit of wing.”
Early in the Perth week, Tupaea trained on the wing during the All Blacks' clarity session, which he took as a sign he might not feature against the Wallabies.
“I thought I probably wasn’t playing that week. I thought I definitely wasn’t starting for the All Blacks on the wing.
“I was pretty shocked to see my name at 13 on Tuesday morning before training.
“I was all over my roles so it wasn’t too stressful moving in there but a lot more book work and clips than a regular week.”
Tupaea seized his chance in Perth with a coming-of-age performance that included several strong carries, a sound defensive display and two tries – one after a big fend to push off Wallabies loose forward Tom Hooper. His presence notably freed up Barrett to play his natural game, too.
Before his long-term injury setback, Tupaea played 14 tests in 2021 and 2022, but not as a cemented starter.
Perth was, therefore, a significant statement. The best performance of his All Blacks career sent a message to the All Blacks selectors and, perhaps more importantly, himself that he was back, he belonged, and he can stamp his mark on the test scene.
“A few things went well for me early in that game, which helps with your confidence. You’re always trying to find that flow state when you’re playing instinctually off feel. It was a pretty cool feeling, being in that zone and things coming off.
“It’s done massive things for my confidence. I’ve taken that approach into these last couple of games and become a lot more confident in my role in the team and trying to add value there.”
Tupaea’s power game is widely recognised but his point of difference, his strength over the ball at the breakdown that he takes pride in, is often overlooked.
“I enjoy the defensive side and getting those opportunities at the breakdown. In the wider channels backs don’t really like that sort of stuff so if you get a chance on a winger or isolated player in space, that’s a part of the game I really enjoy, being able to swing momentum those ways. It takes the pressure off the forwards, they love it when a back gets over the ball. It’s a good feeling.”
Tupaea has started the two Grand Slam tests since Perth – against Ireland in Chicago at centre, outside Barrett, and against Scotland in Edinburgh at second five-eighth, inside Leicester Fainga’anuku.
This weekend Tupaea continues to hold down the All Blacks midfield, this time against England at Twickenham, in his third different midfield pairing of the year, as Billy Proctor returns to centre and Fainga’anuku moves to the wing to cover Caleb Clarke’s absence.
Starting the season off the bench, bouncing between 12 and the previously unfamiliar 13 roles, attempting to gel with contrasting midfield partners, Tupaea has impressed through it all.
With Barrett suffering a season-ending injury, Ioane out of favour, Lienert-Brown down the pecking order and others yet to grab their chances, this is moving season for Tupaea as he’s surged through the ranks to become the midfield glue.
Robertson faces a selection headache next year when Barrett, Fainga’anuku, Tupaea and Proctor are all fit.
To this point, though, Tupaea has done everything asked of him.
“I’ve just taken my chances. I’m confident in the role and clear with what the coaches need from me.
“We have a pretty tight midfield mini-group. Whoever goes out, the connection and confidence is there in each other. I’ll back Billy this week, he’s a great defender. He’s quiet but he leads with his actions so it’ll be awesome to line up with him.
“Twickenham is a bucket-list stadium to play at. The leaders spoke to us this week about the rivalry with England and their experiences.
“It’s a team we hate to lose to apparently, so the boys are pretty motivated. They talk about their carry-on on the field and what they like to do. We’ll take it in our stride.
“This group is very motivated by the Grand Slam. It’s a great opportunity for us. We’re halfway there. England are in front of us so it would set next week up nicely.”
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.