Tahs dip into Kiwi market for new season

CONTRACT NEWS: The Waratahs have signed the younger brother of All Blacks star Patrick Tuipulotu as one of two new recruits ahead of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.

The New South Wales franchise has picked up Hamdan Tuipulotu on an Extended Development Squad contract to help bolster the squad’s stocks at tighthead prop following injuries in their front row.

“We had some unforeseen personnel losses at prop and needed to strengthen our squad in that area,” Waratahs head coach Darren Coleman said via a press release on Friday.

“We liked what we saw from Hamdan and worked hard with Western Sydney Two Blues to bring him across to Sydney.

“We view Hamdan as a project player for the future and feel he will contribute strongly to not only our program but also the Western Sydney Two Blues and their resurgence in the Shute Shield.”

Tuipulotu – who is six years younger than Patrick, the 41-test All Blacks lock currently on sabbatical in Japan with Verblitz – said the opportunity to join the Waratahs was a significant one in his budding professional career.

“The Waratahs are a world-class team and I’m excited to be here. It was definitely an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” he said.

“From the outside looking in, the last few years seemed tough, but there’s so much potential here and a great coaching staff and I can’t wait to see what we can do on the field.”

Tuipulotu is one of two Kiwi players called upon by the Waratahs on the eve of the new Super Rugby Pacific campaign, with Hawke’s Bay and former Hurricanes lock Geoff Cridge also joining the Sydney-based side for the upcoming season.

Cridge, a former New Zealand Under-20 representative, spent five seasons with the Hurricanes between 2015 and 2019, but only managed one appearance against the Southern Kings in 2016 as injuries plagued him throughout his time in Wellington.

However, the 26-year-old second row forward impressed Coleman from afar while playing for Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s NPC.

“Obviously I’m a massive fan of the Shute Shield and it will always be my first port of call for talent,” Coleman said.

By Sam Smith, RugbyPass