Tuitupou comes into a league of his own

By WYNNE GRAY

He might have been an unfamiliar figure in the first division until late this season but Sam Tuitupou has been a consistent force in age-group rugby.

The Auckland midfield back was chosen as the best under-19 player at last season's New Zealand Rugby Union awards.

He had captained the side to success at the world junior championships in Chile and was also a member of the national colts side.

Those sorts of selections and his elevation to the Auckland side which will battle Waikato for the NPC title in Hamilton tomorrow, have helped keep Tuitupou in rugby.

Until he went to Kelston Boys High, the 20-year-old was much more involved with rugby league and he still talks about changing codes. His brother plays league for Te Atatu and sports agent Peter Brown often asks when he will come back to the 13-a-side code.

"He is a smart lad and he has certainly done really well in his sport," Brown says. "Two years ago he had a really good deal to go to the Canberra Raiders but I admire him for staying with his rugby because he could have earned a lot more money in rugby league.

"But I do think he is the sort of player who could adapt to either code, he could make an easy transition because of the way he plays and the grounding he had in league."

Tuitupou confirms his affinity with league and that rugby only became his major sport in the fifth form when he made the first XV.

"I sort of prefer league but at the moment I will stick with rugby. I wanted to move but rugby is going so well," he says.

"The biggest reason I want to stay here is that with league you have to go overseas and I want to be here with my family."

He loves the high impact in league and brings that same commitment to his rugby. He does not spare his 1.76m, 85kg frame when he belts into the midfield collision area where he worked so effectively off Carlos Spencer's delivery in the semifinal win against Canterbury.

Tuitupou laughs loudly when it is suggested he is not the biggest midfielder in the country. He is as fearless as he is unperturbed.

"He might be small but he is a big-hitter," says Auckland coach Wayne Pivac.

"He is very strong and there are never any questions about his defence or when he goes into contact with the ball. He will try and go through, round or over people but he can also offload when he needs to."

His bruising style has its costs.

"I was playing for Kelston against St Pauls in 1998 and I almost had my ear rucked off," Tuitupou says. "There were a lot of stitches and the doctors found it pretty hard to sew it back on."

Hence the headgear.

It stops cuts or bruises and I don't want to end up like those forwards with those fat ears."

Tuitupou has an infectious laugh and his team-mates usually nominate him as one of the characters of the side. He needed that good nature earlier in the season as he waited his turn for selection.

There was one game at fullback before a spell because of a fracture in his hand. He watched as Lee Stensness, Tane Tu'ipulotu, Ben Atiga and Eroni Clarke were used at second five-eighths.

After Clarke was benched at halftime in Auckland's round-robin game with Waikato, Tuitupou got his chance.

He was retained for the wondrous win against Otago and there was no danger he would miss selection against Wellington and Canterbury.