Ex-Westlaker enjoys step up – and eyes Olympics

From schoolboy star to All Black Sevens, New Zealand U20s and the Blues – what’s next for Caleb Tangitau, asks Lochlan

Former Westlake Boys High School first XV star and current Blues player Caleb Tangitau has Olympic-sized dreams to return to sevens in Paris next year.

Tangitau’s journey to international success started when he was called up for a twoweek trial with the All Black Sevens after impressing scouts at the Ignite7 development tournament in 2020, his last year of school.

After the trial, Tangitau was invited to train with the team for a month. He impressed and at the end of 2021, the then 19-year-old was offered a full contract with New Zealand Rugby and selected for the 2022 World Series and Commonwealth Games squads.

“It was pretty buzzy when I first got the call from Clarkie [Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw] because me and my dad back in the day used to watch sevens quite a lot.”

Although he was the youngest in the squad, Tangitau wasn’t there for experience alone. With his pace and power he scored 17 tries in 21 games in the World Series and collected a silver medal at the World Cup.

He also won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in the UK.

Tangitau’s breakout year “all happened so fast” as he went from schoolboy rugby to playing at the highest level of international sevens in less than two years.

“Just being in that environment with boys like Tim Mikkelson and Joe Webber those boys I used to watch. Yeah it’s pretty surreal.”

Tangitau said another highlight was following in the footsteps of his father, Vaea Fefeka Tangitau, who played for the Tongan sevens side.

Though Tangitau has a three-year contract with the Sevens, it allowed him to leave for a season to join the Blues.

Tangitau and his agent had a long discussion about the best move to make and decided it would be good to familiarise himself with the 15-a-side elite game, as he has dreams of one day becoming an All Black.

He had to readjust to the game. “I forgot how technical and slower fifteens was.”

But he began his return to union with a bang, winning the U20 Super Rugby competition with the Blues, scoring two tries in the final against the Hurricanes.

Tangitau also made his full Super Rugby debut this season, coming on as a substitute against the Rebels in Melbourne.

“I didn’t even know I was going to debut until they read the team. I saw my name in the lineup and I was like, ‘What the heck?’”

Travelling with the Blues and making the field ticked off another childhood dream.

Winger Tangitau said talking to players such as Caleb Clarke and others in his position has helped him grow his confidence.

The physicality of the game once pro- gressing out of youth ranks in both sevens and 15s was tough to adjust to at first. “But I’ve sort of got used to it now.”

Last weekend in Wellington Tangitau further underlined his potential, scoring two tries as the New Zealand under-20 team edged the Junior Wallabies, 19-18, to square a two-test series.

He plans to return to the All Black Sevens once the Super Rugby season ends, aiming to win gold at the Paris Olympics next year.

“Hopefully I’ll make that squad or at least the travelling squad.”

After the Olympics, he plans to return to the Blues and to chase that All Black dream.

Despite his fast-tracked success, Tangitau’s family keep him grounded and motivated to keep improving. When he’s not training, he enjoys relaxing by playing Fortnite or NBA 2K on PlayStation.

And his three seasons in the Westlake first XV, mostly at fullback, haven’t been wiped from his memories – his school coaches still call to catch up and congratulate him on his success.