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RNZ News
19 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Chiefs star Quinn Tupaea aims for Super Rugby Pacific title, All Blacks recall
HOLD FOR FRIDAY Quinn Tupaea was just a youngster, when the Chiefs won back-to-back titles in 2012-13. Photo: Jeremy Ward/Photosport Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final Crusaders v Chiefs Kickoff: 7,05pm Saturday, 18 June Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch Live blog updates on RNZ Quinn Tupaea was a Chiefs fan before he was a player and he'd like nothing more than to help the franchise win another Super Rugby title. Twelve years have passed since they last lifted the trophy and they've suffered the heartbreak of defeat in the past two finals. They take on the Crusaders in Saturday night's title decider in Christchurch, where the hosts have never lost a playoff game . The Chiefs finished as top qualifiers for the post-season and midfielder Tupaea played a big role in their success, scoring several tries and making big defensive plays for his side. He said winning a Super Rugby title would be a career highlight. "That's the dream, that's the goal," Tupaea said. "Born in bred in Hamilton, I grew up a Chiefs fan, so to bring a championship to the city and to this region would mean the world to myself and this team." He was just a youngster, when the Chiefs won back-to-back titles in 2012-13, but Tupaea, 26, remembers them well. "I was 12 and 13," he said. "I was at those finals, sat in the family zone on the left side of the stadium and have some great memories with my family. "Looking back on it now, that's the feeling I want to bring to our fans and win a championship for our region. "There's been a lot of heartbreak for our fans the last 4-5 years, not getting over the line. We have very passionate fans and we get great crowds every week, so to bring the title to Hamilton for our fans, that would mean a lot." Tupaea's form in the Chiefs midfield has been impressive this season, but he's quick to credit his team for helping him produce consistent performances. "I've been showing up to work every day, wanting to get better, and my success this year has been on the back of of a successful team as well," he said. "It's a lot easier to play behind a good pack, and good nine and 10 [halfback and first-five] combo." "I'm enjoying my rugby and pretty happy." Quinn Tupaea's Super Rugby Pacific form may earn him an All Blacks recall. Photo: Brett Phibbs / Tupaea's played so well, he could earn an All Blacks recall on Monday, when the squad to play France in three tests in July is named. He hasn't featured for the All Blacks since 2022, when he suffered a serious knee injury against the Wallabies. While firmly focused on the task at hand with the Chiefs, he doesn't conceal his desire to return to the national side. "I would obviously like to get recalled into the [All Blacks] squad," Tupaea said. "It's a goal I set myself every year. "It's a place I want to be playing and it's the team I want to be in - it's a no-brainer. I'd like to hear my name called on Monday." Before then, the Chiefs must overcome history and end the Crusaders 31-match unbeaten run in home playoffs to win Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final. Tupaea said that would make victory all the sweeter. "That's it - 31 and one, thank you very much!" Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
31-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Event centre roof on track
Network Waitaki Event Centre Trust chairman Kevin Malcolm (left) and Apollo Projects site manager Simon North look at the design plans in front of the under-construction event centre. PHOTOS: NIC DUFF The construction of the Network Waitaki Event Centre has reached a major milestone. The roof has started to go on and will be completed by the end of the week. It now means contractors are not burdened by weather to continue progressing the interior. Waitaki Event Centre Trust chairman Kevin Malcolm said it was great to see the build coming together. "We're exceptionally happy with the way the whole project is working. "The more we build of it, the more we realise that we should've done this 10 years ago." The interior of the event centre is progressing well. Apollo Projects site manager Simon North said during some weeks, work was being done all seven days. "The structural steel guys, they've been working 11 days on, three days off. They come down from Christchurch so they stay the weekend." Mr Malcolm said the trust were "well on the way" to completing the funding of stage one, the event centre itself, which will cost just under $33million. They also were beginning to price stage two which is the grandstand and office spaces. They were on track to complete the event centre by February and hoped the grandstand would take about six months so North Otago could return to their home ground for the 2026 Heartland Championship, he said. "It's all quite achievable, really." The $33m event centre will house six timber-sprung courts, a multi-purpose room for cricket that could also accommodate other codes such as archery, as well as conference rooms and office space.
