Ngāti Kahungunu's Bailyn Sullivan is hoping to see more game time for the Chiefs this year.
The 20 year old, former King's College student made his debut in the Chiefs 61-10 victory over the Sunwolves in Tokyo last season, his only appearance so far. He is putting his best foot to ensure he can add to that this year. "I really want to start performing at a higher level, at this level and just really trying to express myself on the field," he says.
Bailyn Sullivan is looking for a chance to prove himself at Super Rugby level. Photo/file
A centre, who has played on the wing for Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup, he has been benefited from training with All Black centre Anton Lienert-Brown and outside Damian McKenzie. He says it's having those types of players around has helped his game improve, "just watching them, being alongside them as well, and running against them you really learn alot from them, asking questions, picking their brains."
Sullivan grew up in Napier, where he attended Napier Boys High School for four years before making the move to Auckland's King's College, "I just saw a lot of opportunities up at King's College," he says, "obviously, Napier Boys is a real good school, I really loved it there. I just thought I'd make the shift. After two years at King's, in which he was selected the NZ Schools Barbarians team in 2015 he moved to Hamilton, where he plays for Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup, "I think the Waikato, and the Chiefs kind of saw me at Napier Boys first and then they kind of followed me up to Auckland," he says.
Sullivan was a member of the U20 team that finished 4th at last year's junior World Cup in France, he scored a length of the field try from kickoff against Japan in their 67-0 opening victory in Narbonne. Sullivan enjoyed the experience of France, "different place, different cultures over there, so I really enjoyed it, especially with the rugby."
Bailyn Sullivan (L) is inline for regular appearances with All Black Anton Lienert-Brown. Photo/file
The Chiefs open their Super Rugby campaign against the Highlanders in Hamilton on Friday night, and Sullivan could find himself in the midfield playing alongside Lienert-Brown when the team is named on Wednesday.