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How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour

101 days ago

Wallace Sititi of New Zealand runs with the ball during the Autumn Nations Series match between England and New Zealand All Blacks at the Allianz Stadium on November 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Backrower Wallace Sititi has capped off a breakout year in style, being crowned the All Blacks’ best player at the ASB Rugby Awards. On New Zealand Rugby’s night of nights last Thursday, Sititi received the Player of the Year award ahead of fellow nominees Tyrel Lomax and Tupou Vaa’i.

Sititi only made his Super Rugby Pacific debut earlier this year after coming off the bench for the Chiefs in their round three loss to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. The loose forward was once again called on to come off the pine in round five before being named to start.

Coach Clayton McMillan ended up starting the youngster nine times during the campaign, which included an eye-catching performance in the Semi-Final upset win over the Hurricanes, where Sititi was named the Player of the Match that night in Wellington.

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With the All Blacks including Sititi in their initial squad for 2024, there was a sense of intrigue about how the enforcer would fare. Sititi got a run against Fiji in San Diego but really came of age in the second Test away to the world champion Springboks in Cape Town.

There were journalists in South Africa asking who Wallace Sititi was before the Test, but that name won’t be forgotten soon with the New Zealander starring at DHL Stadium. Sititi carried that form throughout the entire season, with RugbyPass writers regularly rating the All Black as an 8 or 9 out of 10.

Sititi was recently named World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year Awards in Monaco and was last week named the All Blacks Player of the Year. It’s been a forgettable rise to the top for young Wallace Sititi, who remained as humble as ever after receiving the award.

“Just wanted to say it’s a privilege and an honour to receive this award. There’s a lot of boys deserving of this award to be able to receive this award is a special moment for not only myself but also my family,” Sititi said in a video shared on the All Blacks’ social media channels.

“Just wanted to say a thank you to my family, coaches, the boys, my parents, for making this year an enjoyable one. It’s been one hell of a ride and we’ve created some great memories along the way.

“Just wanted to say a thank you to everyone in New Zealand for your support, not only for myself but also for the team, for the boys, it goes a long way. We hear you and we feel you guys and it means so much to us.

“Everyone take care, enjoy the Christmas break, enjoy New Year’s. Hopefully we can do this all again in a years’ time.”

As reported last week, the Black Ferns Sevens were named the Team of the Year after taking home Olympic gold at the Prais Games. They got the better of Canada in a tightly-contested gold medal match – the Canadians almost backing up upset wins over France and Australia.

20-year-old Jorja Miller was named the Player of the Year ahead of nominees Risi Pouri-Lane and Michaela Blyde. Miller was superb once again during the opening two legs of the new HSBC SVNS Series season, which included Cup Final glory in Cape Town.

Black Ferns Sevens’ Cory Sweeney was also named Coach of the Year for a record-equalling fifth time, drawing him level with Sir Steve Hansen.

ASB Rugby Award finalists and winners (in bold)

Sky Television Fans Try of the Year

Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong (King Country)
Katelyn Vahaakolo (Black Ferns)
Jed Melvin (North Harbour )

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year

Ben O’Keeffe
Maggie Cogger-Orr
James Doleman

Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year

Steve and Lisa Wild (Thames Valley)
Dave Webb (Auckland)
Conor Croke (Waikato)

Bunnings Warehouse Rugby Club of the Year

Foxton Rugby Club (Horowhenua Kapiti)
Green Island Rugby Football Club (Otago)
Ponsonby Rugby Club (Auckland)

Te Hapai New Zealand Rugby Community Impact Award

James Legatt (Tamai Rugby Project)
Lisa Kingi-Bon (New Zealand Rugby Foundation)
Erin Rayner (Sense Rugby NZ)

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year

Xavi Taele (Auckland)
Vernon Bason (Manawat?)
Oli Mathis (Waikato)
Elinor-Plum King (Manawat?)

NZRPA Kirk Award

Dan Carter

Steinlager Salver – outstanding contribution to New Zealand Rugby

Ian Kirkpatrick

Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Player of the Year)

Siu Kakala (South Canterbury)
Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury)
Alekesio Vakarorogo (Whanganui)

Duane Monkley Medal (Bunnings Warehouse NPC Player of the Year)

Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman)
Folau Fakatava (Hawke’s Bay)
Josh Jacomb (Taranaki)

Fiao’o Fa’amausili Medal (Farah Palmer Cup presented by Bunnings Warehouse Player of the Year)

Chelsea Semple (Waikato)
Hollyrae Merekara Mete (Manawat?)
Mia Anderson (Waikato)

ASB National Men’s Coach of the Year

Vern Cotter (Blues)
Clark Laidlaw (Hurricanes)
Alando Soakai (Wellington)
Richard Watt (Bay of Plenty)

ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year

Willie Walker (Blues)
James Semple (Waikato)
Campbell McNeill (Manawat?)

ASB New Zealand Coach of the Year

Cory Sweeney (Black Ferns Sevens)

DHL Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year

Hoskins Sotutu (Blues)
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)
Harry Plummer (Blues)
Billy Proctor (Hurricanes)

Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year

Katelyn Vahaakolo (Blues)
Layla Sae (Hurricanes Poua)
Kaipo Olsen-Baker (Matat?)
Kennedy Tukuafu (Chiefs Manawa)

Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year

Risi Pouri-Lane (Ngati Kuia, Ngati Koata, Ngai Tahu)
Tamaiti Williams (Ngapuhi)
Tyrel Lomax (Ngai Tuhoe, Muaupoko)
Katelyn Vahaakolo (Ngati Whatua, Ngapuhi, Ngati Maniapoto)

Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year

Fehi Fineanganofo
Tepaea Cook-Savage
Dylan Collier

Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year

Jorja Miller
Risi Pouri-Lane
Michaela Blyde

Black Ferns Player of the Year

Georgia Ponsonby
Alana Bremner
Kaipo Olsen-Baker

All Blacks Player of the Year

Tyrel Lomax
Tupou Vaa’i
Wallace Sititi

adidas National Men’s Team of the Year

Blues
Wellington Lions
Thames Valley Swamp Foxes

adidas National Women’s Team of the Year

Blues
Waikato
Manawatu Cyclones

adidas New Zealand Team of the Year

Black Ferns Sevens

Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year

Jorja Miller

Comments

11 Comments

Andrew Nichols 101 days ago

"It’s been a forgettable rise to the top for young Wallace Sititi, who remained as humble as ever after receiving the award."

Forgettable? Seriously? Does noone edit this stuff?

Carlos 100 days ago

Yes, “no one” (sic).

jb 101 days ago

Don't ask bok supporters what they think. For the last month i had to hear that Sacha was the best new player of the year, what a joke. It shows you that they only look at them selfs and don't even bother to see what other players are doing. So glad it went the right way. Well done to Sititi.

GrahamVF 100 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2-hLQOztRg take a look at these clips before you compare SFM to anything NZ has got at the moment.And he has a 87% kicking record with five successful goalk kicks from inside his own half. He has actually landed a 60m kick for the stormers.

JWH 100 days ago

Yeah, SFM to me is a decent 10, but he didn't really stand out against ANY teams for me. If we are just going to take provincial form then I suppose Tom Christie is the best 7 itw?

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Comments on RugbyPass

LE 8 minutes ago

Six Nations column: Maud's Tours, family reunion, and a solid start

I thought you were very unlucky not to get player of the match against Italy it was an excellent performance where you were involved in all the good things England were doing. Didn’t realise you had taken on the lineout calls but that only adds to my opinion that you should have been PotM.

Keep up the good work Rosie

1 Go to comments

J Marc 10 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Average is a kind understatement….

But if Farrell father is seeking for a player who will not be tired in july, it's the good choice…

4 Go to comments

J Marc 13 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Courtney Lawes is doing a good job for Brive, but yes it's ProD2.

4 Go to comments

BC 20 minutes ago

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

It’s fascinating how all 6N teams think they are really improving. It is making for some great matches. Barattin has been a great servant and role model through thick and thin during her career.

2 Go to comments

BC 27 minutes ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

Yes, I’ve read those plaudits too and along with many others who have also commented on various sites cannot understand it. She played ok but seems to have become the darling of the media perhaps because she is a good player who would be picked in most teams but is down the pecking order for the Red Roses. Sing would be much easier to shut down than EK due to her lesser speed. My understudy for EK is Helena Rowland, very talented and as quick as Dow, and after that Dow herself. Perhaps though Rowland will have nailed down another starting position by RWC. She can play 12, 13 and 15 with equal aplomb and would do so at 10 given a run of matches. I cannot see the logic for breaking up the best back 3 in the world to accommodate a good kicker but lesser all round player. I can understand having to make a tough choice between MacDonald and Breach but EK’s potency would be much reduced if put out on the wing. Still we are all entitled to our opinion and we can agree to differ. I just want the very best as I see it for the Red Roses and although Sing wouldn’t let them down there are better options. I have faith in Mitchell now (after being a sceptic) to make the right calls.

3 Go to comments

MS 40 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

I can understand negotiations for Kinghorn, White, and Ribbans. All three are playing very, very well at the current time. Kinghorn has been a leading contended for some time now; Ribbans looks as powerful as he’s ever been; while on the evidence of the most recent Six Nations, White benches behind JGP at Scrumhalf.

However, noone in their right mind should be considering Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, nor Owen Farrell. Sinckler looks unfit and can barely move around the field with any great urgency. He would be a liability on tour to Australia. Lawes is clearly ‘enjoying life’ in ProD2, and his rugby looks every bit second tier level now.

As for Farrell, not only has he been plagued by poor form and injury since moving to Racing, even the much vaunted ‘kicking record’ has long since been debunked as a USP with a percentage that simply does not stand up to scrutiny. That leaves only the intangible (desperate…) claim he would add ‘leadership’, which in a Lions squad resplendent with talent and international caps is I’m afraid, much like Farrell, a complete non-starter.

Willis is the elephant in the room…a leader and standout option for one of the best club teams in the World. Yet still a relative unknown at Test Match level. I could well see him being included on the tour - and it would prove quite the headache for the RFU if he delivers. But Back Row is so competitive across all three positions, and with genuine World Class talent there too. I’m just not sure the Lions need him.

4 Go to comments

CV 44 minutes ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Football always had ‘detached’ leagues. So do most other sports. Unions or federations never dictated who plays and how often like in NZ. Would be unheard of. You need independent clubs that really compete with each other in NZ but that would never happen because NZR would have to relinquish control over players. Rugby’s model is an exception in professional sport, not the rule.

SA in the 6N? Never. Most want promotion/relegation to the REC and many want to keep it as it is. Much better for the game here when countries can finally get into the 6N. It will lead to more investment in REC nations because they can finally get ahead. Tier 1 nations do very little to grow the game outside their countries.

SA should grow the game in Africa. Plenty of potential there.

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Touring NZ is a golden opportunity for every one of the French players that take the field to nail themselves into the squad. What better opportunity is there than to stand out for all the right reasons than a Test match in NZ? Any that manage to achieve that will only enhance the pool of talent available for ‘27.

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

NZR knew exactly when the Top14 final was when they signed the tour contract.

95 Go to comments

CN 2 hours ago

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

Lovely, lovely player. At her peak she was dynamic and difficult and always played with a smile. You got the feeling that as well as her teammates the opposition also respected her.

2 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Partially correct. NZ needs to get on with being the lead in developing the Pacific 6N and monetising Japan - and developing their competitiveness. That will enable all the financial support you mention.

As for France, it’s not about “caring”, it’s about money and the club owners provide their money to drive their club agenda. Period. French rugby is a beast and your JIFF point is well made but SA is a beast also that’s now awake and England is a sleeping beast that is financially stricken. SA will make up a 7N and that will drive all 3 to new levels. The Irish, Scottish and welsh clubs are all union owned and will continue to struggle keeping up but the 7N revenue boost will help, as the SA involvement in the URC is doing currently.

EPL is entirely different, football has followed its own path in allowing the league to detach and is an extreme example of what happens when the clubs are allowed to call the shots across the board. Not a path that rugby will follow fortunately.

95 Go to comments

CN 2 hours ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

I’m not sure many agree with you on this one, Rugby Pass made her their player of the match last week and the comments on the BBC website, although mixed, were lauding her attributes. Her running lines are really good and incisive, very good passing range and her defence is better than ok. I do like her as an option and she would probably go to the RWC as a specialist FB and understudy. EK struggled against Canada at WXV because they doubled up on her every time and took away her space, why not give teams something different to defend?

3 Go to comments

DH 2 hours ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Kinghorn and Willis should join after the Top14 final. O Farrell has been average all year and RC92 wants rid of him, he has no pace and is too dominant a character (like Ford) without the skills to back it up. Take the two Finns and Blair Kinghorn and all will be good.

4 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Started well but wobbled when you mentioned Irish club money (it’s all union owned with state help) and lost it completely talking about offshore accounts.

That said, NZ have been phenomenally good at what they’ve done but it’s become a lot more difficult to be out in front and that isn’t going to change for them. They need to focus on the pacific 6N and monetise Japan but SA are the powerhouse and will stay that way when they monetise their certain involvement in a 7N comp, which will also boost English and French resources!

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

No I don’t. Point me to any discontent from the French about this? Sure the players have understandably said they’d love to go but that’s the sum total of it on the NH side. Everyone understands the decision making dynamic and the factors driving it. As you’ve already conceded above, NZR were also aware of exactly what was coming.

95 Go to comments

BC 2 hours ago

Morgane Bourgeois’ Women's Six Nations notebook: The first edition

Interesting comment from Pauline Bourdon that France would have lost that match at WXV1. Does that mean that France have recovered their mojo and are once again potential worldbeaters?

1 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Cooperation would be an interesting description of that relationship, the power sits with the money and that’s the club owners.