How Chiefs swooped on former Blues U20 captain Wallace Sititi

Wednesday, 27 March 2024

When Wallace Sititi was flying around the world as a youngster thanks to the rugby career of his father, it ignited a dream of becoming a pilot.

Those aviation ambitions have now been well and truly parked, though, as his own career in the sport takes flight.

Twenty-four years since Semo Sititi turned out for the Hurricanes in 2000, another versatile loose forward by the same surname has now set foot on the Super Rugby landscape, with the Chiefs.

But also unlike his old man, who is the third-most-capped player in Samoa’s history (59 matches), playing at the 1999, 2003 and 2007 World Cups, and captaining them in the latter two, it’s the All Blacks jersey that this Samoan-born, Scotland/Japan/New Zealand-raised 21-year-old is hoping to don down the track.

Indeed, Sititi junior has already worn the silver fern at the Oceania Rugby Under 20 Championship in Australia in 2022 − a tournament where the man who in the few months prior had captained the Blues U20 side and was voted the franchise’s Development Player of the Year, was lost to their rivals down State Highway One.

“I met our [Chiefs] manager, Martyn Vercoe, at the 20s [Vercoe was the NZ side’s manager], and then the opportunity came up,” Sititi tells Stuff of how he now finds himself in Hamilton.

“I didn’t really know that many people here, but Vercs really pushed it… he was definitely a big reason why I came here.

“Nothing was happening with the Blues, really, and I was like, ‘I’ll just give it another crack somewhere else’. And I’ve been enjoying it ever since.”

Initially brought in as part of the wider squad last year, Sititi was then rewarded with a two-year contract for 2024-2025, and has now gone on to log a debut against the Reds in Brisbane, then another appearance against the Highlanders last weekend (which featured an impressive 26-metre carry and 13 tackles in his 20 minutes), as he pinches himself about his progress.

“It’s always been a dream to be a professional rugby player, and it still kind of hits me at times, even now, and [I’m] just extremely grateful to get this opportunity,” he says.

The other, dream, of course, was to fly planes for a living.

“That was the plan, initially… travelling when I was younger I thought it was quite cool… and then I saw all the hard work that goes behind it,” he quips.

The second-oldest of four children, Sititi was born in 2002, a year after Semo had finished a two-season stint with Dave Rennie-coached Wellington in the NPC − where he squared off against current Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan in a loss to Bay of Plenty in his final outing (not that Wallace was aware the pair had ever played against one another) − and then found himself at the Border Reivers club in Scotland.

“That’s where my name came from,” Sititi notes.

“Because my father wasn’t present at my birth… they loved the movie Braveheart, with the warrior William Wallace, and they thought William was a bit too common, so they just made Wallace a first name.”

A move to Japan followed, with Semo playing and coaching there, before the family headed to Auckland in 2013.

Taking up rugby in his final year of primary school, Sititi played centre/fullback initially, but with a desire for more of “the direct stuff” came a move to the loose forwards in year 10. A “very proud” De La Salle College old boy, he spent three seasons in the First XV, and was captain in his final year in 2020.

Progressing to the Auckland academy and on the fringe of NPC, a loan offer from North Harbour instead saw Sititi make his debut with them in 2022, before falling out of the Blues’ clutches altogether.

“Definitely they’ve got some quality players there, but I always knew I could push my case wherever I go, and the opportunity just sort of opened up here at the Chiefs, and I’ve never looked back,” he says.

With McMillan liking Sititi’s ability to play all three back-row positions (like his dad), his explosiveness, a maturity beyond his years and an eagerness to learn (he’s also studying human sport and performance part-time, online), the youngster is now out to make the most of his chance.

That’s despite having to contend with the rather big shadow of his famous father, whose involvement in the game is now as a bit-part coach of his other son’s school team and at the Auckland Marist club, and is otherwise found in the health sector, looking after the Covid-19 response team in South Auckland.

“He’s always going to be someone that I look up to, and he’s always going to set the bar for me, not just as a player, but also a man,” Sititi says.

“A lot of people tell me he was a really good rugby player, and I see it in videos as well… It’s a different game now, but it’s real cool just watching him do his thing.

“Speed and power, I guess I get it from him. But he’s always said to play your own game and don’t sort of mimic anyone, just know your strengths and play to your strengths.”

Do that, and there’s every chance Sititi could be flying high after all.