Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Tongan Thor disappointed with homecoming effort

Queensland Reds prop Taniela Tupou has expressed his disappointment after being sent off during last week’s Super Rugby match against the Blues at Eden Park.

The Tongan-born Wallaby rose to prominence while he was a schoolboy at Auckland’s Sacred Heart College.

”It was my first game at Eden Park in the city where I went to school and I’d been looking forward to performing there all year,” Tupou told news.com.au.

Tupou was sent off in the 24th minute of last week’s contest after a grass-cutter tackle on Blues opposite Ofa Tuungafasi. With wing Jordan Petaia sent off two minutes earlier, Tupou’s punishment left the Reds scrambling with just 13 players on the field for close to ten minutes.

ADVERTISEMENT
Video Spacer

The 22-year-old said his time on the sidelines ticked by very slowly and he was disappointed he couldn’t be on the field making a difference for his team.

”Back at training this week I spoke to [Reds head coach] Brad Thorn and we agreed the team can’t afford to have these moments.

”I definitely did extras on my tackling technique because being lazy and not using your arms more obviously when tackling with the shoulder can put the team in a difficult position.

He also said he was able to speak with Blues and All Black legend Jerome Kaino, who played his last home game at Eden Park before he joins Toulouse in France.

”He still remembered the chubby, fat bloke [Tupou] who came to watch Blues training as a schoolboy.”

The Reds will finish their season with two consecutive home matches, the first of which will be an Australian derby against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night.

In other news:

Video Spacer

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 24 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland
Search