Wellington were unable to gain promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking, finishing 2nd behind Hawke's Bay on the Championship log before being defeated 26-25 by the same opposition in the playoff final.
He played 10 of their 11 games during the year and helped himself to 3 tries as they once again finished 2nd in the Championship, this time behind Otago and were then surprisingly defeated 40-37 at home by North Harbour in the playoff semi-finals with his 11th minute try scored in vain.
Doors began to open for him ahead of the 2016 season with Mitchell leaving after his short-term contract had expired and Coles and Matu'u both being struck down by injury in pre-season.
This heavy defeat was in stark contrast to what followed throughout the rest of the year as the 'Canes bounced back to lift the Super Rugby title in August with a 20-3 win over the Lions.
[7][8][9][10] In October 2016 Apisai, who affiliates to the Ngāti Awa iwi, was named in the Māori All Blacks squad for their end-of-year tour to the Northern Hemisphere.