Tiatia has been the architect of the upturn.
Normally his public persona is somebody who does not give much away but during the quarter-final win against Zebre in Italy, you saw a rare public image of him leading the celebrations.
“The huddle is a personal thing and it was great it was captured on screen, I was so proud of the players,” said Tiatia.
Former Wales fly-half James Hook played with Tiatia at Ospreys. Hook described him as “an animal on the field and your nan’s favourite off it”.
“You don’t see everything of me, maybe you see some of the little bits,” said Tiatia.
“What I give you is what I give you. When I’m watching the game I’m not overly emotional but people who know me, know the true me.”
Tiatia is in his first full season as head coach and believes getting to know the players has been a key component of any turnaround.
“One of the biggest things is around care for one another,” said Tiatia.
“Players and staff understanding each other on a deeper level, not just surface level, actually bone-deep.
“Understanding it’s people first and then understanding the player. That’s been a big shift, not just trying to get the best out of them but also having players take responsibility.”
Tiatia was asked what he meant by bone-deep. His answer was illuminating.
“Surface level is knowing people by face and respectfully saying hello,” said Tiatia.
“On a deeper level, I will introduce myself to you and tell you where I’m from.
“I’m from Wellington. I’m Samoan. My first language is English, it was Samoan, I speak Japanese. I speak a little Italian.
“I’m a learner, I’m an introvert, I’m a trained extrovert. When I’m stressed I’ll be quiet.
“When I will be quiet, I’m thinking about my family first and foremost.
“I was taught from my parents very early on that gratitude is one of the biggest strengths. You understand what you have and you’re grateful for it.
“Those are things I would share at a bone-deep level. We then have a deeper understanding about each other, about our morals and values.
“Also the mistakes I’ve made as a young person is something I can now relate to with the group.
“I don’t want the players to make the same mistakes and they’re becoming the best version of themselves. So it’s not just coaching. It’s holistic growth.”
