THE NEXT MANU TUILAGI COULD BE SALE CENTRE REKEITI MA’ASI-WHITE
There was no white smoke involved, but in Manu Tuilagi’s farewell press conference as a Sale player last June, he made sure to anoint Rekeiti Ma’asi-White as his long-term successor in the Sharks midfield.
“He’s so exciting, man,” Tuilagi said. “Do you see him train? He’s good. Real good. The thing for Riki is that he has got a big future but he is good now. He is ready to go. He has got the size and skills. I can’t wait to see him get that opportunity.”
It has taken a while for that opportunity to come. A hamstring niggle delayed the 22-year-old’s development this season, while the signing of Waisea Nayacalevu meant Ma’asi-White had to drop into the Championship for game time through a loan spell at Caldy. Now, however, having broken into the first team as Sale come to the business end of the season, Ma’asi-White is showing precisely why the usually taciturn Tuilagi was so effusive in his praise.
“Anything that Manu says is special, especially when he honours you,” Ma’asi-White said. “He has left some big shoes to fill.”
While far from exact replicas – the Sale man is giving away the best part of 1st 7lb (10kg) – there are obvious similarities, from the Pacific Island DNA to the gain-line breaking ability. So it comes as no surprise that Ma’asi-White modelled much of his game on Tuilagi.
“I think I have similar strengths to Manu, having watched him growing up – ball-carrying, running threat and hammer D [defence] – I think I hit people pretty well,” Ma’asi-White said. “Offloading as well comes with the game when it needs to be. I am not looking to force it all the time.”
As much as the offloads and sidesteps are lovely added extras, the one message that Tuilagi left with Ma’asi-White, who joined Sale in 2022 following Wasps’ demise, was that it was his job to get over the gain line.
“That’s pretty much it,” Ma’asi-White said. “Get your head down and carry. As complicated as rugby can be, sometimes you just need to get your head down and carry hard, especially when things go to s---.
“I did a lot of my reviews with Manu and the main thing I learnt was probably the simple things – work on things you are good at as well as the work-ons. Focus on your strengths, but also little things make a big difference. Whether it will be spacing or talking to the 10 and 13, Fordy [George Ford] and Rob [du Preez], just a small chat. It will not be the big things. It is never really that complicated. Once you know your role, it is about the detail.”
Aside from Tuilagi, the main influence on Ma’asi-White has been his father, Vili Ma’asi, who played 36 times as a prop for Tonga. He also earned cult hero status at London Welsh, Cornish Pirates and Ampthill, where he played well into his 40s and is the club where Rekeiti started.
While Rekeiti and his brothers were born and raised in England, their father administered his own brand of tough Tongan love as they grew up.
“We had a rowing machine in the back garden and he would abuse us on that, properly abuse us,” Ma’asi-White said. “Crazy, crazy sets to the point where your brain can’t function any more. It translated to when we were playing well for our junior clubs and the other parents were saying these kids are huge. It is not just genetics, he has made us work for it. He would do it all with us, 10km row was his favourite, but eventually he wore it out. That was the happiest day of my life when I heard it was broken.”
The rowing machine may be no more but Vili is still there to dish out the instructions at the AJ Bell Stadium. “My dad is very big on work rate and getting my hands on the ball,” Ma’asi-White said. “He notices everything. He will tell you from the crowd. Every game I hear it: ‘Get up, get up, Run harder, run harder’. After the game, the feedback is usually constructive. But no matter what I do, whether I play well or poorly, he gives me a hug.”
2025-04-24T17:40:03Z