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Former NSW Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau spurned a possible overseas deal, signing a one-year contract with the ARU which will send him to the Western Force for the 2017 season.
Polota-Nau has been a mainstay of the Waratahs for much of the last decade, making 140 appearances for the side since his debut 11 years ago. He has also been a regular in the Wallabies setup, earning 68 caps for Australia in his career.
The hooker’s departure from NSW following the 2016 season is hardly unexpected – he reportedly told teammates in July that he had likely played his last game for the club – but the decision to stay with Australian rugby is less so.
There were rumours the veteran front-rower would head overseas, however, his signature will provide both the Wallabies and the Force with a major boost heading into 2017.
“I’m really looking forward to getting across to the west and joining the Force,” said Polota-Nau.
“[New coach] Dave Wessels is very impressive and there is some great young talent coming through and really good leaders at the club like Hodgo [Matt Hodgson] and the new Wallabies Dane Haylett-Petty and Adam Coleman.”
Polota-Nau is known for his passion for community rugby; he has been a board member, player and volunteer at the Parramatta Two Blues in Western Sydney during his professional career, and the hooker said the opportunity to continue his involvement with the grassroots game is one of the factors which led him to signing with the Force.
“One of the things I was keen to understand was the Force’s plans around community rugby and that’s something I’m very keen to get involved when I get over to the west.”
Polota-Nau is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery to fix a broken arm, an injury which the nuggety hooker played through for a number of months.
However, he is confident of getting fit for the start of the 2017 season for the Force and continuing his international career with the Wallabies, setting the goal of another World Cup appearance in 2019.
“Playing for Australia is the ultimate for me and I want to continue playing for the Wallabies for as long as possible. The Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle of our sport and having played in two, and reaching the final last year, the desire is certainly there to work towards getting another shot at the World Cup.
“Right now it’s just about getting myself ready to play and putting in a big pre-season with the Western Force ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.