Quinn Tupaea said the moment he was injured was an extremely painful one. Photo / Photosport
Quinn Tupaea said the moment he was injured was an extremely painful one. Photo / Photosport
All Blacks midfielder Quinn Tupaea has revealed what was running through his mind the moment he suffered a season-ending knee injury at the hands of Wallabies lock Darcy Swain and says he's still keeping his 2023 World Cup hopes alive.
Tupaea was ruthlessly cleaned out in a ruck by Swain during the first Bledisloe test of 2022, his leg forced inwards at the knee at an unnatural angle that injured both his ACL and MCL ligaments. Post-match scans revealed extensive damage and Tupaea now faces surgery, followed by nine months of rehabilitation on the sidelines.
"I thought I'd won a penalty, heard the whistle go and then I just felt a bit of force hit my knee from the side. I've done my MCL before so I sort of knew what it felt like and that's what it felt like initially.. I just knew straight away.
"It actually hurt quite a bit and when I got up to test it myself, my knee just sort of collapsed inwards."
Tupaea will go under the knife next week and faces a test of both his physical and mental capacities as he recovers from what is the most serious injury of his career.
"I got the news on Monday or Tuesday, so I've had a few days to process it and yeah, it's been pretty tough but I think I'm coming through the other side here.
"I'll be in a brace for six weeks or something, but be moving the whole time and yeah, just slowly chipping away at it and hopefully be back playing in nine months. That's the goal at the moment."
The light at the end of the tunnel for Tupaea is an obvious one: a trip to Paris to contest the Webb Ellis Cup in 2023. The Waikato and Chiefs star thinks the dream is possible, especially with the backing of the All Blacks coaches and management.
"They're right behind me... they're pretty gutted for me, I think everyone's pretty gutted for me. They've got all the resources that I need and they definitely back me to get back within the nine months and that's what I'm trying to do.
"Nine months is a long time but that sort of gives me a few months of rugby next year with the Mooloos hopefully and then giving myself the best chance of making that World Cup squad is a massive motivator for myself as well.
"I think the mental side is gonna be massive just as much as the physical side and I think I have the right people in place to help me get through it."
Quinn Tupaea had been riding high within the All Blacks squad in 2022. Photo / Photosport
Tupaea has been a constant presence within the All Blacks squad in 2022 and was filling an important role within the midfield rotation; one he will miss dearly.
"I was starting to feel a lot more comfortable, I played seven of the eight games and it was awesome to feel involved every week and even coming off the bench was cool... this injury's come at a niggly time, I was starting to feel good in there so it's a bit of shame that I'm gonna be out for a while."
However, some of Tupaea's disappointment has been balanced by an outpouring of support from rugby fans across Aotearoa, as well as from the wider rugby fraternity.
"I've had sort of an overwhelming amount of messages and support... from the New Zealand public in general. I think, how it happened, everyone sort of felt sorry for me or something. But yeah, it's been cool to get that support and a lot of support from the rugby community."
