Decision day looms for Cov’s veteran ‘Hacksaw’

HARD-HITTING former All Black Sam Tuitupou aims to follow mentor Pat Lam into top-class coaching – if he can shake off the playing bug.

Tuitupou – nicknamed ‘Hacksaw’ on account of his tough-tackling style – joined Coventry from Sale last year with intention of doing more coaching.

However, the feisty Aucklander rediscovered his zest for combat and would love to help Coventry follow Lam’s Bristol into the top-flight.

Tuitupou, 36, said: “My contract’s up this year so we’ll have talks in the next couple of months over whether I carry on. I joined Coventry as player-coach and I’m currently doing my level three qualifications.

“With going back to parttime training the body felt better and I’ve played more than expected. I thought my time as a player was almost up last year, but winning National One was very special and hopefully I can be part of this new generation push to the Premiership. If we do, I might call it quits then!”

Tuitupou, capped nine times by New Zealand between 2004 and 2006, maintains regular contact with Lam, who he played for Down Under.

“Coaching’s a big ambition of mine and Pat Lam’s a huge inspiration,” said Tuitupou. “Being a Pacific Islander who came through and did so much in his playing days, to see him doing it as a coach as well is really exciting for me and he’s a fantastic role model.

“There aren’t too many Pacific Island coaches out there who have achieved as much as he has, and having had him at Auckland when I played NPC there, I’m still quite close to him and have tapped into his knowledge.

“It’s exciting to see how he’s going at Bristol and they couldn’t have asked for a better start in the Premiership than beating Bath in front of such a big crowd, so it inspires you to create the same sort of buzz here at Coventry.”

Coventry are a way off top-flight rugby yet but Tuitupou added: “Coventry have got huge ambition to be back in the Premiership.

“They were a force to be reckoned with back in the day and we’re working our way towards that again.”