A move overseas could be the catalyst to reinvigorate an “emotional” Taniela Tupou, who looks weighed down by the recent events affecting the Melbourne Rebels.
That’s the verdict from his former Wallabies teammate Matt To’omua, co-host of The Roar Rugby Podcast.
Tupou, who left Queensland Reds last season to join the Rebels on a big money deal, has struggled for form in the wake of several injury issues stretching back over the last 18 months.
The Roar Rugby Podcast hosts Matt To’omua and Christy Doran are joined by Brumbies backrower Luke Reimer. Listen in the player below or in your podcast app of choice
The 27-year-old has been linked to a move to Irish club Leinster and while there several reasons why Rugby Australia would be keen to keep him in Australia, To’omua believes an overseas move would be beneficial to all parties.
“He’s starting to get the golden years for a prop. He comes over from Auckland, quite young, was at the Reds for eight or so years, comes down to the Rebels, wants to start afresh, get a new sense of things, and then all this happens in the off-season,” said To’omua.
“Fair enough if he’s wanting to go to Europe and play a little bit of rugby there and earn some money. And from the Australian rugby point of view: yes, we lose him from a marketing side on Super Rugby, but do we gain more by keeping a million dollars that we can invest into community rugby or other guys and then we can use him for the marketing for Wallabies anyway?”
Taniela Tupou. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
While accepting there will be some downside, the upside is how it will help Tupou as a Wallabies player.
“Of course, it’s going to be a loss, but I also think he’ll be such a better player in a few years’ time,” To’omua said.
“Having to play in a system like Leinster, who probably challenge Crusaders in terms of consistency over time, I think you’d only benefit from it.”
As well as a new playing challenge, there is the hope that a move would give the Tongan Thor a psychological boost.
“Taniela is an amazing player, there’s no doubt,” said To’omua. “He is so well respected around the world in terms of his rugby but his consistency will come when he’s happy. He’s such a jovial guy.
“He’s such an emotional guy and he’s a leader in that sense too. He’s influential. He’s funny and you want him happy.
“I feel like there’s almost a case of, not flogging a dead horse, but a situation that’s not working here where he’s trying something here, trying something here.
Taniela Tupou. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
“It might be a case of go overseas, get a fresh kind of view on things, get new eyes on him in terms of coaching, play a new system, a new competition, learn a new way. It could really benefit him.
“Yeah, sure, we might lose him and there’s a bit of short-term pain but he’s 27. You’d like to think we’ve got a good five years out of him at least left.
“From a purely playing point of view, what better way to prepare yourself to play against the British and Irish Lions than playing in URC, playing in the Heineken in Europe. Are there benefits from that side of it? If you have your starting prop who’s been playing alongside these guys benefiting, he only needs a minimal time back in the Wallabies program to get going.
“I probably see it more from a personal level where you probably see Taniela at the moment. He looks emotionally that things are quite heavy and I think he could really benefit from kind of a new perspective on things.”
Pierre
Roar Rookie
No one else would want him, he is lazy and a liability.
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
I can summarise this and the Jorgo articles. Current or former Backs - Tupou, how can you spend this much money on a prop? Current or former Forwards - Jorgensen, how can you spend this much money on an outside back? Regardless of national lines, on this, we will never agree.
Blink
Roar Rookie
But hasn't he been injured for a couple of seasons. Thats 2 years less wear and tear on the body and a chance to get fully fit. He should be good for 7 years if the mind is willing.
Eltski
Roar Rookie
A move to Leinster would be amazing for him. World Class coaching in one of the best teams on the planet. Always felt Tupou was incredible on the open field but lacked some of the finer skills when actually doing what he was meant to do - scrum. Seemed to get shown up by world class opposition time and again. Being in Leinster will sort that out as he is clearly a beast with some incredible skill. They'll teach him those finer points and I see him becoming a top 5 prop on the planet.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Some of the comments are just delusional. If you read through the match stats for the 6 Nations, some of the stats Tupou is putting up from the bench is similar to what the starting TH's are. There is of course the odd outlier like the Scottish TH making 22 tackles in one game. But for most the starting TH's are having a couple of runs for a couple of meters and making 5-6 tackles. Last week Tupou came off the bench and had 8 runs for 43 meters. 4 Tackles and a pilfer. This would be big and huge impact attack numbers and standard defence numbers.
Don
Roar Rookie
And he was the same weight and looked the same back then. But somehow he's now fat, overweight and lazy? I mean FFS, in 2021 when he was healthy he played 14 SR games - in 6 he played the full 80 minutes and in 5 others he played more than 60 minutes. What coach and team around the world is consistently playing their Tight head prop for that duration? Thorn needed his scrum dominance and ball running but was treating him like he was a pack mule. In 2020 he played 17 SR games. In 8 he played the 80 minutes (one was 90 minutes!) In 7 he played 60+ minutes His shortest stint was 52 minutes. A player who doesn't train and is lazy does not do what he's shown he will do.
Cam Watts
Roar Rookie
He's probably tipping the scales at 140kg currently - so at 125kg I'd say he could still be plenty effective enough at TH
Popeye
Roar Rookie
Or... he could go to the Brumbies, a club right here in Australia with a strong record of developing talent
Jed
Roar Rookie
The old " he plays in Europe so must be the best we can pick".
Jed
Roar Rookie
Don , How dare you bring facts to the Roar.
southcoastboy
Roar Rookie
Him going to the Irish club would be a good move. Hopefully, the increased amount of rugby would get him fit (rather than cop another injury). He's not anywhere near peak condition (he looks a lot bigger/heavier than the RWC), even allowing for coming back from some big injuries. Strip 10-15kg off his frame and that'll make him far more effective around the field and most likely help contribute to a more positive mindset for him as well. With full fitness and plenty of enthusiasm he'd still be one of the best going around.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nah haven't you read. Bloke was rubbish for the Reds...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The big question is would he be effective as a TH prop 15kg lighter. Not exactly known for light players...
Don
Roar Rookie
Yes. But he has had almost 2 years out of the game and in his first season after an injury where medicos expect players to be well down in performance in the first year back and do not fully recover for up to 2-3 years. 25% don't play again. But we rehabbed him and got him back in record time and he played his first top level game in season in a Bledisloe test then his next matches were at the RWC.
In From The Side
Roar Rookie
A long way ahead of Australia
Muglair
Roar Rookie
True but the big question for me is whether he would have so many lower leg problems if he was 15kg lighter. Fair play to him getting fit for the RWC, I did not think he would make it. I can't see him signing up for Europe, or losing the weight in Australia. He will be huge in Japan, from a marketing perspective as well.
frisky
Roar Rookie
Hasn't he been injured more often than not?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
If the Rebels haven’t mentioned what does that say for the reds playing him into the ground until he got injured?
Don
Roar Rookie
Greg Holmes was never world class. He went to Exeter at 32 or 33 and showed himself to be one of the best props in the competition. But sure…was never world class. I’ll take Nick Bishop’s opinion when he said Holmes was one of the best tight heads in Aus, then again in the UK.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
He’s struggling this year and way off his best. His leg doesn’t look right, he’s now got a hand injury, he isn’t fit, carrying too much weight and mentally doesn’t look like he’s in a good place. I personally wouldn’t want him to go and the Rebels don’t seem to have managed him for whatever reason. I wish he didn’t leave the Reds, they’ve bought well and he could have really benefitted from some older experienced props driving standards. I think Les Kiss would have been good for him as well, a real positive, caring type of bloke. I think Tupou needs more management than the standard player and needs to be somewhere that can provide that. We need depth in Australian rugby and it’s not good to be losing talent or to not be able to develop that talent. Tupou is 28 in a couple of months, he’s not a young inexperienced player, this should be his prime.