Lote Tuqiri has urged the Wallabies to leave their Welsh disappointment behind and finish their European tour with a bang in Wednesday night’s historic clash with the Barbarians at Wembley.
Tuqiri was gutted to have lost 21-18 at Millennium Stadium on Saturday – a result which denied the Wallabies a rare northern hemisphere sweep of the four Tests – but said there was no point stewing over the defeat.
“It’s a bit of an empty feeling,” he said.
“But everyone says it’s the last game but we’ve still got one more game to go on Wednesday and hopefully we can finish the tour off well in that sense.
“Obviously this was our last Test match. Not good, but you’ve got to give credit to the Welsh. They played pretty well.”
After being a frustrated passenger for most of the tour, Tuqiri was thrust into the action after half an hour as a replacement for injured winger Peter Hynes.
Tuqiri’s eye-catching comeback from knee surgery was one of the few highlights for the Wallabies, but he said the side shouldn’t have any trouble bouncing back for a match against the Barbarians which marks the 100th anniversary since Australia won the rugby gold medal at the 1908 London Olympics.
“It’s going to be pretty special,” Tuqiri said.
“To be part of the first rugby game played would be great as well. It’s another notch on the belt.”
Coach Robbie Deans on Sunday confirmed Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock would miss the match after being KO’d at Millennium Stadium in an ugly collision that left his Welsh opposite Jamie Roberts with a fractured skull.
“There was no way he was getting up from that,” Tuqiri said after watching the clash in horror from the sideline.
“And apparently the Welsh bloke played with a fractured skull. Very ugly. But you know, we have to move on.
“I thought Quade Cooper held up all right and he’ll be better for that run. It’s a great experience for that kid.”
Cooper said he couldn’t wait for another match in Wallabies colours after looking comfortable in the Test arena, despite playing in the centres for the first time in more than two years.
“The whole tour Robbie’s been saying you’ve got to take your opportunities when they come and I just tried to play some football and try and do as best I can,” he said.
“There was a lot of help from all the rest of the guys. They made me feel at home out there.
“I’m looking forward to playing the Barbarians. They’ve got a dream team the Barbarians so it will be a good test for all of us going up against some of the best players in the world.”
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oikee said | December 1st 2008 @ 10:28am | Report comment
All become a little bit Ho-Hum. Another notch on his belt. Could be discribed also as another nail in the coffin. Be good to see the boys all home from holiday. Sculls cracked, lovely advertisment. Weak Cattle.
Blinky Bill - Bellingen said | December 1st 2008 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
What can I say about players who use this modern lingo of “move on” , “put it behind us” and so on? I just wonder.
For me I’d rather read that they are bloody angry at lost opportunities, about the way they played in a Wallaby jersey and how they disappointed their many fans, and they will make amends.
Better to feed off a loss than simply forget it. Turn it into a motivational tool and make us proud.
Best that players leave the spin to others.
Even looser said | December 2nd 2008 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Blinky Bill – Our Costa Lote is often in the media for the wrong reasons. Sadly it’s a fact in this age of highly paid sports people that spin rather than passion appears to be the rule.
As for me, I’m still wondering why Lote is even on the NH tour. Perhaps he’s the media officer.