Boxing’s The Ring magazine lists Oleksandr Usyk, Naoya Inoue, Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez as its leading pound-for-pound champions. In a World Rugby equivalent, All Blacks wing Mark Tele’a would rank among the upper echelon.
French superstar Antoine Dupont and Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe are other rugby pound for pound contenders. So, too, Tele’a’s All Blacks teammate Sevu Reece after his standout return to the Test scene against England in Dunedin last week that included several heavy hits and the opening try.
Tele’a’s inclusion on that list is non-negotiable. In an area New Zealand never lacks depth, he continues to step, swerve and soar past defenders.
Consider this: Tele’a has played 10 Tests and, such is his impact and slippery nature, in his last seven he has beaten more defenders than anyone else. That includes England (11 defenders beaten), South Africa (9), Argentina (14), Italy (6), France (11), South Africa (11) and Australia (9).
And his career is only getting started.
Tele’a’s late-blooming rise caught many by surprise. From west Auckland club Massey to North Harbour, Tasman, the Blues and, eventually, the All Blacks, the 27-year-old is not the typical tale of a gifted finisher destined to roam the test fields.
Unlike Blues teammate Caleb Clarke, he was never cemented in representative teams throughout his career.
Rugby was not Tele’a’s first calling, either. Blues assistant coach Daniel Halangahu once shared a story of Tele’a running away from high school teacher – and how that’s when his ability to avoid people was first spotted. Tele’a, the product of a South African father and Samoan mother, then wanted to emulate elite wingers such as Springboks World Cup-winner Bryan Habana, All Blacks Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Jonah Lomu, but his is a long road to the national team.
The first sign that Tele’a was on the national radar arrived in the Covid-affected 2020 season when he earned selection in the briefly revived North versus South Island fixture. Following another impressive season for the Blues the following year, Ian Foster rewarded Tele’a with his first All Blacks selection for the 2022 northern tour. Tele’a had to bide his time as Clarke and Reece were preferred on the wings for wins over Japan and Wales but, presented with his debut on the left edge against Scotland in Edinburgh, he did not disappoint with two tries at Murrayfield.
Proving his versatility Tele’a switched to the right wing for the final Test of that season against England at Twickenham but the coveted No. 11 jersey has since been his to lose. Other than when he was stood down from the World Cup quarterfinal for breaking team curfew, Tele’a featured prominently in the All Blacks’ underdog run to the final which included a brace in their opening loss to France in Paris.
This year, he continued his form for the Blues.
Tele’a ranked third in Super Rugby Pacific with nine tries; third for clean breaks (17), third for defenders beaten (69), fourth for metres gained (993) and fifth for offloads (17).
Such a stat line is notable given the Blues’ surge to their 21-year drought-breaking title centred on Vern Cotter’s direct, combative forward-led approach which often resulted in the backline being starved of possession.
Cotter’s style, while highly effective, was far more power than panache. Despite that approach Tele’a’s elusive qualities were as prevalent as ever.
Listed at 98kg, Tele’a possesses a deceptive weight-to-strength ratio and powerful fend. With rapid feet and acceleration, he regularly skins defenders in the wide channels but increasingly finds himself roaming off his wing seeking carries closer to the action.
“That’s the modern game you try to get involved and impact the game where you can,” Tele’a said as the All Blacks attempt to improve on last week’s knife-edge one point escape, in Scott Robertson’s first match at the helm, for the rematch with England at Eden Park this weekend.
“That could be cleaning a ruck or standing on the wing opening up space. If the forwards are going forward you have to try to get around your nine and 10. Even if you don’t get the ball you’re still in that space. It takes a lot of work to get into those pictures and get involved.”
England’s rush defence, led by former Springboks assistant Felix Jones, caused the All Blacks’ attack problems in Dunedin to restrict Telea’s chances to strike. When the ball did reach him, he proved as difficult as ever to pin down.
While England’s umbrella defensive style leaves ample room on the edges to exploit, doing so is easier said than done in the face of the aggressive shooters.
Last week the All Blacks only succeeded on two occasions – once with Damian McKenzie’s cross-field kick to Reece, the other when Stephen Perofeta skipped out of Ben Earl’s tackle to send Ardie Savea over.
“It’s hard because you see so much space and try to get the ball there but that space goes so fast,” Tele’a said of England’s scrambling. “That’s the defence we’re facing so we’re trying to adapt and adjust.”
With Reece and Tele’a retained on the wings for the All Blacks, Chiefs finisher Emoni Narawa and Clarke, who claimed a hat trick in the Super Rugby final, are once again confined to the fringe to underline the depth in New Zealand’s outside back department.
The prospect of his first Test at Eden Park, scene of the Blues recent triumph, is special for Tele’a having emerged through the wider Auckland ranks.
The chance to play in front of family and friends, to showcase his dazzling feet and deceiving power, shapes as a full circle moment in Tele’a’s rise.