All Blacks powerhouse Tupou Vaa'i has candidly opened up about the mental battles that nearly derailed his promising career, and his firm resolution on his preferred playing position. Vaa’i, who made a significant impact in the All Blacks lineup post the 2023 Rugby World Cup, attributes his turnaround to personal growth and a newfound perspective following the birth of his son.
During his revealing conversation on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin, Vaa'i discussed his journey of overcoming what he described as confidence issues and imposter syndrome, particularly after stepping into the void left by legendary players Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. "I definitely had to prove my worth on the team, and I had some mental issues that were stopping me from hitting my potential. I worked hard on those things off the field," Vaa'i shared.
"Then I just sprang up on the field, and it became second nature to me."
Vaa'i credited not only the arrival of his son for a shift in his mindset but also the influence of team captain Scott Barrett and the All Blacks’ mental skills coach. "Working alongside Scott Barrett really built my confidence, and I was just leaning off his energy and his experience," he said, defending Barrett against critics by adding, "He is our skipper for a reason, and all I do is feed off his leadership."
On the pitch, Vaa'i has increasingly made his mark as a lock, despite having the versatility to play as a flanker. He expressed a clear preference for specializing as a lock, aiming to master the position with a world-class standard. "Honestly, I’d rather just be on the field and be able to play," he admitted. "In my head, I would rather be a world-class lock and continue to work focused solely on that one position."
The robust forward also highlighted the distinctions and his fondness for the lock position, emphasizing his desire to immerse himself in the game's core dynamics. "The running lines are a bit different in terms of the phase attack, and you’re definitely running a lot more [as a flank], out on edge a lot more, and I really like being in the thick of things and putting my head down and working hard," he elaborated.
This weekend, Vaa'i is poised to return to the field for the Chiefs in their pre-season clash against the Fijian Drua, marking another step in his steady climb back to peak form and readiness for whatever challenges lie ahead in the new rugby season.
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All Blacks powerhouse Tupou Vaa'i has candidly opened up about the mental battles that nearly derailed his promising career, and his firm resolution on his preferred playing position. Vaa’i, who made a significant impact in the All Blacks lineup post the 2023 Rugby World Cup, attributes his turnaround to personal growth and a newfound perspective following the birth of his son.
During his revealing conversation on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin, Vaa'i discussed his journey of overcoming what he described as confidence issues and imposter syndrome, particularly after stepping into the void left by legendary players Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. "I definitely had to prove my worth on the team, and I had some mental issues that were stopping me from hitting my potential. I worked hard on those things off the field," Vaa'i shared.
"Then I just sprang up on the field, and it became second nature to me."
Vaa'i credited not only the arrival of his son for a shift in his mindset but also the influence of team captain Scott Barrett and the All Blacks’ mental skills coach. "Working alongside Scott Barrett really built my confidence, and I was just leaning off his energy and his experience," he said, defending Barrett against critics by adding, "He is our skipper for a reason, and all I do is feed off his leadership."
On the pitch, Vaa'i has increasingly made his mark as a lock, despite having the versatility to play as a flanker. He expressed a clear preference for specializing as a lock, aiming to master the position with a world-class standard. "Honestly, I’d rather just be on the field and be able to play," he admitted. "In my head, I would rather be a world-class lock and continue to work focused solely on that one position."
The robust forward also highlighted the distinctions and his fondness for the lock position, emphasizing his desire to immerse himself in the game's core dynamics. "The running lines are a bit different in terms of the phase attack, and you’re definitely running a lot more [as a flank], out on edge a lot more, and I really like being in the thick of things and putting my head down and working hard," he elaborated.
This weekend, Vaa'i is poised to return to the field for the Chiefs in their pre-season clash against the Fijian Drua, marking another step in his steady climb back to peak form and readiness for whatever challenges lie ahead in the new rugby season.