Two years ago, Wallace Sititi was a relatively unknown Chief who turned a blistering Super Rugby campaign into an All Blacks call-up. Now, another Chiefs back might be following that same path—and doing it even faster.
Isaac Hutchinson, a 22-year-old full-back, made his franchise debut just two months ago. In that short span, he’s not only locked down the starting job but also begun drawing serious comparisons to Sititi’s breakout run. Former All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald is already calling Hutchinson his “bolter” for this year’s Nations Championship squad.
From Rehab to the Spotlight
Hutchinson missed all of 2025 after tearing his ACL, MCL, and both menisci in a devastating injury. The climb back was long, but once he hit the field in late April, he didn’t waste time. He’s played only six games for the Chiefs, but his impact has been immediate and undeniable.
In last weekend’s Super Rugby Pacific semi-final, Hutchinson started and impressed as the Chiefs dismantled the Crusaders. The performance didn’t go unnoticed by the former All Blacks turning the dial on The Breakdown.
“He Doesn’t Have an Obvious Weakness”
Donald was blunt in his assessment. “I’ve got to admit, I think we’re watching a bolter here. When you look at him and what we’ve seen, it’s been a month of footy, he doesn’t have an obvious weakness,” Donald said. “He ticks most boxes. I’ve seen him kick and he kicks long, and he kicks at the right time. He’s brave in the tackle, makes big line breaks, he looks fast – he gets through and no one’s catching him when he gets through.”
Former All Black Mils Muliaina kicked off the discussion earlier, praising Hutchinson’s attacking flair and pace. “Man, he has really stood up. He is waving his arm around, saying: ‘pick me’. There’s no doubt in my mind that he has got the goods: attacking flair, the ability to step, his pace.” Muliaina noted that one area they haven’t seen much—and don’t need to—is Hutchinson’s kicking game, which has proven reliable when called upon.
The Sititi Parallel Is Hard to Ignore
Sititi burst onto the scene in 2024 and immediately became a fan favorite and a national team staple. The Chiefs have a knack for unearthing these late-blooming talents, and Hutchinson appears to be cut from similar cloth. All Blacks great Jeff Wilson highlighted Hutchinson’s ability to beat the first defender as a game-changer. “There’s nothing better if you’ve got a full-back that can beat the first man because that changes your counter-attack, it changes the pressure the opposition are under. It changes the way they chase kicks because they go, ‘you know what, this is man we can’t allow to come back’.”
Wilson pointed to Hutchinson’s “run first” mentality. “I want the run first, kick second instinct to be in my full-back, that’s the player he has become pretty quickly.”
Timing Is Everything
The big question now is whether a late-season injury suffered in the semi-final will sideline him—or whether head coach Dave Rennie will take the gamble of the year. The team has not confirmed the severity, but Hutchinson’s rapid rise has already put him on the national radar.
At this point, it’s not a matter of if he’ll get an All Blacks nod—it’s a matter of when. And if his first month of footy is any indication, that call might come sooner than anyone expected.
Leave a Comment