Chiefs second-row Tupou Vaa’i becomes the latest All Black to pen an extension with club and country after the news was confirmed on Tuesday.
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Vaa’i’s contract extension runs until 2025, clearly underlining how much the star is valued in New Zealand’s future even after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The second-row has featured on 15 occasions for the All Blacks and 31 times for the Chiefs so far in his career, with the 22-year-old likely to significantly add to those numbers in his career.
Future star
All Blacks coach Ian Foster was delighted with the news of Vaa’i’s extension as he sees the star as an important part of New Zealand’s future.
“Tupou has really impressed in his time with the All Blacks, and we see his signing as critical in our long-term plans. Great news,” Foster said.
The second-row debuted for the Chiefs and the All Blacks at the age of 20 and quickly became a powerful performer for his club.
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan was pleased to have locked down such a significant talent and looks forward to seeing his growth as he becomes more experienced.
“He has always been a player of immense talent, and his achievements to date, at such a young age, validate that. He is only going to get better with age and experience which is an exciting prospect,” McMillan said.
“There’s no doubt he’s going to be a significant contributor to the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby in the years ahead.”
Chiefs ambitions
Meanwhile, Vaa’i is looking forward to his future with the Chiefs and hopes to accomplish a lot with his club.
“I believe we’ve got a good crew, so I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together. Also, FMG Stadium Waikato is one of the best rugby grounds around and filled with loyal supporters,” he said.
The All Black has been named in the squad for their northern hemisphere tour after featuring in the Rugby Championship and will no doubt be looking to cement his place in the squad ahead of next year’s World Cup.