There has been a lot of speculation of late regarding the future of Lote Tuquiri. What will he do next? League fans think he will go to the NRL and I think all Rugby fans believe he will go to Europe or Japan to continue with Rugby.
Firstly, he would have to be crazy to go back to the NRL. The media scrutiny on Lote if he chose to continue his career in Australia would be unbearable as I guess it is for many NRL and AFL stars already.
Secondly, the NRL is not really the shining light of the Australian sporting landscape since a lot of incidents have detracted from the good work done by the code as a whole. For the NRL to be a viable option for players to join from Rugby Union it needs at least one or two good years without incident.
Think of how life would be in France for example. Virtual anonymity, wine, cheese and good food with a dose of good Rugby. Oh, don’t forget the great paycheck, better than he would get in the NRL, if recent contract talks are anything to go by. Would you have to be crazy not to want to experience 4 or 5 years in France?
Tuquiri seems to be a man who likes drink, a good time with his mates and has an opinion. Kids seem to love him and he seems to enjoy the limelight to some degree. And he can play!
These are all good things, you would think that these days where most sportsman repeat clichés and present grey personalities, that these would be the sportspeople that we want to keep.
But, why is it we seem to drive them away?
I guess Lote is just one example of a player who is better off overseas due to his personality and the attention that it demands from us, the public. I guess the same could be said for others too…
If we had a few more Tuquiri’s and Wendell Sailor’s and Adam Macdougall’s I think the sporting landscape would be a far better place.
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.
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