‘Good for the Wallabies’: Promising Taniela Tupou update which ‘says a lot’

NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has opened up about Taniela Tupou’s hard work behind the scenes, with the tighthead prop leaving no stone unturned ahead of the Wallabies’ mammoth international season, which includes the British and Irish Lions Series.

On debut for the Tahs last Friday night against the Highlanders in Sydney, Tupou was among the standouts, with the front-rower receiving a loud cheer of support from fans at Allianz Stadium after being replaced almost an hour into the team’s season-opener.

Tupou hasn’t played 56 minutes in a competitive rugby match dating back to the Rugby World Cup in France two years ago. With the Melbourne Rebels last season, the powerful prop only played more than 40 minutes in five of 14 appearances, which included just six starts.

But after making the move to a third Australian Super Rugby Pacific franchise, Tupou appeared fit, confident and eager to impress ahead of the new season, with the 28-year-old’s performance against the ‘Landers backing up that claim.

After a try-assist for fellow Tahs debutant Rob Leota in the 33^rd minute, Tupou kept busy with six carries on the night, five stops on the defensive side of the ball, and some impactful work around the breakdown which could’ve easily gone unnoticed.

With the Tahs on a bye, Tupou will have to wait another week to play the Fijian Drua in a round three fixture at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, but that didn’t stop the Wallaby from asking to play in this weekend’s Waratahs A fixture down at Brumbies HQ.

“I’ll give you an idea on Taniela, he gave me a call wanting to play in the A game this weekend just to keep building his minutes and that sort of says where he’s at headspace-wise,” McKellar told reporters after Waratahs training on Thursday. “It says a lot about where he’s at.

“He’s working hard in the background; he’s settled here with his family and just really pleased. Just keep chipping away at him and coaching him and I think that’s the most important thing.

“What does a good game from a tighthead prop look like? It’s not just about the flash carries and that sort of thing or just about the scrum, it’s the cleanout work, the tackle work.

“He’s so engaged – yesterday afternoon, one of the first players in wanting to go through individual clips. You know when Nela’s showing those behaviours, he’s clearly happy and clearly in a position where he’s trying to get the best out of himself.”

Other Wallabies like Leota, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen all made an impact as the Waratahs brought in the team’s new dawn with a one-point win. Siosifa Amone was the hero was the replacement scoring two tries off the bench late in the piece.

Amone crossed in the 79^th minute to reduce the Tahs’ deficit to just one point, but that allowed Jack Bowen to step up and add the match-winning extras from right in front. It was a famous night for New South Wales rugby as the Waratahs secured a dramatic 37-36 win.

Rugby World Cup winner Matt Burke spoke about Tupou’s performance on Stan Sports’ Between Two Posts earlier this week, with the review of that match externally reflecting positively on the Waratahs who have a star-studded cast of Wallabies among their ranks.

But it’s these players who, like Tupou, are driving high standards.

“I suppose we’ve put in place an environment and a program where we want to challenge and develop them and allow them to be themselves and be happy,” McKellar continued. “You want to turn up and just get better every day and that’s the message that we’re pushing.

“It’s great because it’s a great example for [Siosifa Amone] and Brad Amituanai, Dan Botha and other young tighthead props that are here as well.

“It’s good signs not just here obviously, it’s a big year ahead for the Wallabies and if Taniela is playing good, consistent rugby – doesn’t need to be the best player on the field, just goes about his job and does it well from one week to the next – that’ll be good for us and it’ll obviously be good for the Wallabies.”