Taniela Tupou has always spoken as he plays, with a brutal straightforwardness.
So the Wallabies enforcer, named to play in the second Test against England after two months sidelined with a calf injury, was just being himself when he revealed he had enjoyed the enforced absence, believing it has refreshed him for the task ahead.
Tupou was hardly in the best frame of mind before his injury, making it clear that he wanted a break from Queensland Reds overseas – favouring a sabbatical in Japan.
WALLABIES MAKE SEVEN CHANGES FOR SECOND TEST
He remains a key man for the Wallabies – especially with Allan Alaalatoa ruled out due to his concussion in game one.
“I’ll tell you what, it’s probably unfair saying this, but I’ve actually enjoyed these last few weeks being off, not playing,” Tupou told reporters on Thursday.
“I would have loved to have played last week and played the last weekend for the Reds, but I did not miss it one bit. I enjoyed being off the field and enjoyed not having to get ready to play.
Taniela Tupou. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
“I’m ready to play now. But when I was injured, I was not missing it and I didn’t want to come back and play anytime soon. But I’ve done a lot of work with some of the guys and I’m in a good space now and I think I’m ready to get out there and have a bit of fun.”
Asked if the break might have been the best thing for his career, Tupou replied: “100 per cent. I think being injured was the best thing to ever happen to me mentally and physically and I was ready for something different.
“That happened and I was staying away from footy, I was spending a bit of time with the missus and the family and now I’m ready to play again.”
Tupou admitted he hadn’t paid attention to last week’s game – he was in hospital with his wife a day after the birth of his first child, a son named Nella.
“Crazy, crazy experience. I haven’t had much sleep but I’m enjoying it,” he said. “From now on I have to sleep in camp. For the next few days I have to prepare well.
“I just know they’ve got a big pack with world-class front rowers, and they are going to come hard this weekend. They didn’t get what they wanted last week.”
Tupou did too, a big little chip off an imposing block.
“Honestly, it hasn’t really hit me yet,” he said.
” Sometimes at training I’m running around and thinking, ‘geez, f–k’. Maybe it’s going to hit me in a few weeks’ time. I’m not sure, but at the moment I’m definitely going to go out there and I’ll be thinking of him when I get on the field this weekend. It’s not really about myself anymore, there’s someone else.”
Tupou set himself up as a villain for the series by appearing in the Stan commercial – the one where he gatecrashes a stereotypical English tea party.
“The boys have been giving me a bit of shit about it. We were watching State of Origin and every break there’s bang, me. They pay me good money, so I don’t mind doing it,” he laughed.
This week he’ll get a tougher reception than he did from the Poms in the TV ad, with Ellis Genge laying in wait.
“I’ve heard a lot of talk about him,” Tupou said. “He absolutely killed it in that comp in the UK and obviously he captains his team and as a loose-head he can run the ball, he can tackle and he can scrum.
“This week, if he’s starting, it’ll be my first time playing him and it’s a big challenge knowing what he can do. I just need to focus on myself.
“You know what they say, it’s not personal but it is personal. I’ll do what’s best for the team, but when you get out there you want to be better than your opposition and he’ll try to do the same thing. He’s going to try and give it to me and smash me and I’ll be doing exactly the same thing, get out there and give it to him. We’ll see what happens.”
Guess
Roar Rookie
I've always found him a bit lazy(by athletic standards) He reminds me of Beale. Has natural talent but not really willing to work much on it Prove me wrong please
Guess
Roar Rookie
How can you know they overworked him?
Tim J
Roar Rookie
:thumbup:
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Slipper is normally a 60+ minute player. Even if TT lasted only 25 mins and softened up the Rosie boys, Slips showed last week that he can handle the job. And I don’t think a fresh pommie prop coming on in the second half would be too much for him to handle.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
pm, are you single, or does she just not read our sacred space? :laughing: :laughing:
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Sometimes you don’t know you need a change until someone tells you. Looking for the positives.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
I’m a bit hot and cold at the idea. :silly:
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
Had to get the usual irrelevant comment from Geoff.It's an article about Tupou,mate!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Please no menopausal talk here! I surrender.
Aiden
Guest
I got incredibly sick a few years back, leptospirosis, and after the painkillers took hold my few weeks in hospital were not exactly a torture. It was great to have nothing other than myself to think about and I came back to work mentally …. if not physically… more refreshed than even after a holiday (usually I try and do too much). Which is a long winded way of saying I know exactly how he feels.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah something is up with more players leaving for interstate offers. Mafi and Stewart have been certain starters and are leaving for the Rebels. Mafi is going to compete with a capped wallaby. For all the talks of the Reds culture and Rebels lacking it, they seem to have no problem getting players to come there and the Reds seem to have trouble keeping players.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That’s a spicy story isn’t it? Alex Mafi dropping the news on a podcast and then the Reds issuing a press release.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Just hope the calf is 100% and his mind. After serious lower leg injuries, the “mind” can play tricks and affect your play. Am sure Taniela will dominate his opposite early but it becomes a worry when his body becomes fatigued. He should be carefully “managed”.
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Wow
Gaberod
Roar Rookie
Sounds like a classic case of burnout! Couldn’t remove himself from the situation and so his body removed him from it. Thankfully he made the best of it and is keen to rip in. Keen to see some bowling / pinball action - knocking over white pins or just bouncing though :stoked:
Bluesfan
Very surprised that the Wallabies have selected him for the run on team vs. bench - without bar training ground, any actual rugby played. Given this, would not be surprised if he blows out his calf in the first couple of scrums. Sure that the Sports Dr's would have given all clear but really surprised that he has not lined up for some lower grade club footy just to test him out in match conditions.
Harry Jones
Expert
Difficult to tackle a guy you can’t get arms around - even to his back ribs! Hope he bowls over the Baby Rhino.
pm
Roar Rookie
Oz, i think Genge is a good hard tackler and ball carrier but i'd be surprised if he can stand up to Taniela much at all scum-wise, even given how he managed to put himself in some smart spots against Furlong. Am I overconfident?
pm
Roar Rookie
These days, equality and all that, we shouldn’t assume it’ll be the woman who puts on the pre-(or indeed post-) natal weight.
Geoff
Guest
"Dominate a game against the All Blacks Win Bledisloe Cup Put in big performances overseas Win Rugby World Cup" That also applies to Captain Hooper too.