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By Iain Payten
June 11, 2009 12:00am
HEAD to Concord Oval this weekend and you'll get three things: five grades, a steak sandwich and a million bucks worth of former NRL talent.
As the Wallabies finalise preparations for their first Test against Italy on Saturday, a few hours north Lote Tuqiri, Timana Tahu and a high-priced portfolio of Wallabies stars will be found in the far quieter surrounds of club rugby.
Unwanted by Test coach Robbie Deans this week, Tuqiri and Tahu are set to link up for their second appearance in three weeks for West Harbour and elsewhere Ryan Cross (Easts) and Phil Waugh (Sydney Uni) will also turn out for their clubs.
Instead of playing in front of 20,000-plus fans in Canberra, Tuqiri and Tahu will be the star attraction for several hundred fans - all at a cost to the ARU of over a combined million dollars in wages this year.
Reinforcing Robbie Deans' stance that reputations, paypackets and background mean nothing at the selection table, the return to suburban clubland by two players poached from league may make ARU paymasters squirm.
But, according to dual international Wendell Sailor, the uncomfortable culture shock of a return to club footy may also help Tuqiri and co come to grips with the reasons they're there - and not Canberra.
"I know one time when I was playing for the Wallabies I got dropped and had to play in front of 500 people for the Gold Coast Breakers,'' Sailor told Sky Sports Radio.
"We all like playing on big stages and in front of big crowds, so club rugby won't be too good for him (Tuqiri), with West Harbour. Sometimes you can get a bit complacent. He won't be complacent now.''
Tuqiri wasn't named in the West Harbour side yesterday but is expected to play. Up to 36 players with Super 14 experience will be dotted throughout Sydney's clubs, including nine from the Western Force.
Tuqiri's future has been the subject of much speculation in the past fortnight, with the NSW star being overlooked this week for the second consecutive Wallabies team.
But for Sailor and fellow dual international Michael O'Connor, those questioning Tuqiri's Test career are way off track.
"He is far from finished, Lote, no way,'' O'Connor said. "He is one of a number of players that could be playing. We are sort of flush in that wing position at the moment. I certainly think he will be back.''
Sailor agrees, and subscribes to the growing theory that as soon as Tuqiri is given a chance he will turn in an explosive performance Deans can't ignore thereafter. That could come as early as next week, in the second Test against Italy in Melbourne.
"He'll let Robbie Deans know why he is top dog,'' Sailor said. "If I know Lote Tuqiri he's a big competitor and a big-game player, and I'm pretty sure when the Wallabies play South Africa and the All Blacks you're going to need Lote Tuqiri there.
"The thing about the Wallabies at the moment is they have some fantastic young talent, Drew Mitchell, Lachlan Turner, James O'Connor. They haven't had that for a while, and that's why they bought a few league players. The big Fijian, he wouldn't be liking this.
"We all have egos. He will come back bigger and better.''
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