Lote facing the Chop

[jargan83]

$600,000 Lote Tuqiri facing the axe


June 01, 2009 12:00am

LOTE Tuqiri's long-term Test future hangs in the balance with speculation that he will be overlooked for the Wallabies team today.

The star winger's shock omission looms after a quiet season for NSW and would represent the first time in seven years Tuqiri has not been chosen for the Wallabies on form reasons alone.

Given Tuqiri's status as a specialist winger, the 29-year-old could even suffer another blow of being left out of the 22-man squad to play the Barbarians on Saturday night due to a lack of versatility.

If Tuqiri misses a spot in the starting line-up, players with more experience in playing several backline positions like Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper may have the edge for a bench spot.

All will be revealed this afternoon when Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will name his squad for the winter.

Deans already has stressed several times this year that no Wallabies' positions are guaranteed and despite being one of Australian rugby's top earners, the 67-Test veteran Tuqiri shapes as the Kiwi's first high profile casualty.

The Wallabies coach was on hand to watch Tuqiri playing for West Harbour at the weekend, but the preceding Super 14 season was not up to the former NRL star's usual high standards.

On the end of a misfiring Waratahs backline much of the year, Tuqiri only scored two tries and was down in several key performance stats from the previous season.

The big No. 11 was down in runs, run metres, tackle busts and linebreaks from his 2008 Super 14 season.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001023,00.html

[mudskipper]

I don't think being over looked to play in a friendly Baa Baas match. It isn't a test match; it’s an exhibition match… The Wallabies need at least 4 good wingers to cover injuries... Lote will be around for a while yet... The Tahs where just coached to play in a style which was to Lote's disadvantage this season...

[robyn <3]

Waaaa-hoooozzzzle! My Lote-bashing has paid off.

[travelling_gerry]

Didn't Connolly drop him because he was too SLOW?



yup..


http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=7873

[force addict]

about time. he is no good.

[Stone Cold]

Good to see players getting picked on form and not reputation

[travelling_gerry]

Lote Tuqiri left out of Wallabies squad, Matt Hodgson to debut

June 02, 2009 .Australia coach Robbie Deans has hinted that poor service from the New South Wales Waratahs cost Lote Tuqiri his spot in the Wallabies.

Tuqiri's form suffered with the Waratahs' grinding game-plan in 2009 and the 29-year-old paid the price on Tuesday with his omission from the first Wallabies side of the international season.

The powerful winger has not previously been dropped because of a lack of form in the six seasons since he switched from rugby league.

Tuqiri's absence from Saturday night's clash with the Barbarians at the Sydney Football Stadium must cast doubt on his involvement in the 2011 World Cup, despite the 67-Test veteran having a contract reportedly worth $600,000 per season until after the New Zealand tournament.

“He hasn't had a lot of opportunity to be fair,” Deans said.

“He hasn't been served particularly well. We hope to serve our wings well and we hope that when he gets his opportunity that he's on the end of that.

“He has looked for work, he has defended really well, he's probably been the most impressive in terms of his defence.”

Tuqiri's axing came even though another winger, Peter Hynes, was unavailable as he returns from a knee injury.

NSW teammate Lachlan Turner and the Western Force's Drew Mitchell were named on the wings.

Speculation emerged on Tuesday that Tuqiri could be tempted to reconsider his future and seek a release from his Australian deal, but his agent Les Ross insisted that was “pure speculation”.

“He's got a four-year contract with these guys and this is a Barbarians game,” Ross told AAP.

Deans said the size of a player's wage was “totally irrelevant” when it came to picking a team.

“I'm not familiar and I'm not interested really in terms of what blokes get for playing, and to be honest I suspect once they get to this point of being in the squad that's not a priority for them either,” he said.

“They're more excited about the fact that they've got the opportunity to pull on their nation's jersey ... they'd probably give up all their income in order to do something significant while they're in it.”

And Deans said Tuqiri would get a chance this winter.

“Everyone that we've got here is here because we believe in their capabilities,” the coach said.

“We obviously can't play them all at the same time.

“Whether you're in the 22 or outside the 22, it's one and the same.

“Being given the opportunity isn't necessarily of advantage unless you use it well.”

In other significant selections, Adam Ashley-Cooper was named at fullback, the position he occupied for most of 2008, ahead of young gun James O'Connor.

Matt Hodgson was named among seven Western Force players, the highest representation amongst the Australian Super 14 teams, to make his debut in a Wallabies jersey at blindside flanker.

“We just noticed him and he's perfectly equipped for what we're asking him to do,” Deans said.

Centre Berrick Barnes and lock James Horwill return from injuries, while O'Connor and Quade Cooper have earned bench roles ahead of Timana Tahu.

The squad is likely to be further bolstered next week with the return of Rocky Elsom, who is expected to sign with the Brumbies in the next few days.

“There's obviously a Test against Italy coming up in Canberra so I'd like to be a part of that,” Elsom told Sydney radio station 2KY on Tuesday.



AAP
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...016959,00.html

[robyn <3]

Damn. The ONLY time I have EVER wanted to read Lote's input about anything is about him being DROPPED and it's the first time in the history of the world they haven't been able to get a quote from him... Damn...

[welshrugbyfan]

Is this the back door of Australian Rugby?

[jargan83]

to play in a friendly Baa Baas match

There is no such thing as a Friendly in Rugby

[Working Class]

Welsh

You may already be aware of this but that Coogee Oval. My old home ground. The trap is used to retrive all the balls they kick onto the cars parked behind the wall.

[lara93]

devo

[blueandblack]

devo

[youtube]Xbt30UnzRWw[/youtube]

[travelling_gerry]

Tuqiri's turn will come, says Deans
June 3, 2009

LOTE TUQIRI yesterday discovered the brutal reality that he is at best rated No.4 among the Wallabies wingers, after being overlooked for the Barbarians match.

While Lachie Turner and Drew Mitchell were chosen ahead of him on the wings, Peter Hynes would have also been a strong candidate for one of the spots if he had not been unavailable for selection because of his lingering knee complaint.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said both Hynes and utility Ryan Cross were not considered for selection for the first match of the representative season.

Despite Tuqiri's demotion, Deans said the 29-year-old winger, who boasts 67 Test caps, was far from forgotten, and that he would get his opportunity against Italy and France. But Deans made it clear that the Waratahs didn't help Tuqiri's cause this season.

"Lote has played some good rugby," Deans said. "But he hasn't had a lot of opportunities. To be fair, it is pretty evident that he hasn't been served particularly well. We hope to serve our wings well, and when he gets his opportunity, he is on the end of that. Hopefully we will be able to create more for him. He will get his chance."

Deans had hoped Tuqiri could turn out for his club side, West Harbour, this weekend, but they are not playing.

Greg Growden

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...708456218.html

[travelling_gerry]

Bret Harris | June 03, 2009

Article from: The Australian

ANYONE who knows Robbie Deans well would appreciate that Lote Tuqiri's high profile and big salary are irrelevant in relation to his selection or non-selection for the Wallabies.

But the fact Tuqiri, one of the highest-paid players in Australian rugby, has been omitted from the Wallabies' 22-man squad for the Barbarians match in Sydney on Saturday, will not have escaped the attention of the bean counters at the ARU.

Tuqiri is effectively the sixth-ranked winger in Australia.

If Peter Hynes (knee) and Digby Ioane (shoulder) had been fit, they would almost certainly have started against the Barbarians. The wing spots instead have been entrusted to Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner, while fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper would also be rated ahead of Tuqiri as a winger.

And outside back Ryan Cross was also unavailable because of a shoulder injury.

You could reasonably speculate that if Ioane were fit, Tuqiri may have struggled to make the Wallabies' 29-man squad for the inbound internationals.

The ARU would no doubt be looking at this scenario and wondering why it is paying Tuqiri $600,000 a season until 2011 when he will be 32 years old.

If Deans is not going to use Tuqiri, it would make sense for the ARU to encourage him to seek a release from his contract and look to play overseas where he could earn even more money.

Tuqiri has been a mainstay of the Wallabies since he switched codes in 2003, but Deans obviously has reservations about him.

While Tuqiri improved his work-rate with NSW Waratahs in the Super 14 this season, he still lacks the genuine pace of his younger rivals.

Deans said Tuqiri's omission did not signal the end of his Test career.

"Lote has played some good rugby, to be honest. He hasn't had a lot of opportunity, to be fair. It's pretty evident to anyone who has watched the games, he hasn't been served particularly well," Deans said.

"We hope to serve our wings well and we hope that when he gets his opportunity he is on the end of that.

"He has looked for work. He has defended really well. He has probably been the most impressive in terms of his defence."

In Mitchell and Turner, the Wallabies will have speed to burn on the wings, which will suit the expansive style of game Deans is trying to develop. "Hopefully, we will be providing opportunity for them to use it," Deans said.

"If we can't get the ball to them, we want them getting to the ball. We want to involve them as much as we can.

"Lachie has grown a lot in his physical composure. He is imposing himself on the game more so than in previous years, which is indicative of the fact that he feels like he belongs and he is now looking to make a difference to the team as opposed to simply being there and profiting off the work of others.

"Drew has done some really good stuff and he has done some average stuff. He'll be the first to admit that.

"He's got an opportunity to bring a consistent ethic to his game. If he does that, he offers

a lot."

One of the areas of Mitchell's game that has been average has been his defence.

"He has had moments he hasn't enjoyed," Deans said. "Quite often it has been as a result of positioning. He is aware of that and he is working at that."

Although he started for the Wallabies against the Barbarians at Wembley last December, O'Connor, 18, has been named on the reserves bench.

Asked whether O'Connor's shoulder injury had contributed to the decision not to start him, Deans said: "Oh no but ... no, not directly. It's more about the fact Coopy (Ashley-Cooper) is the incumbent. Given him the first opportunity.

"It's very likely you'll see him (O'Connor). How much? Who knows?"

The only new face in the team is mobile blindside flanker Matt Hodgson, whose selection ahead of the bigger Dean Mumm underlines Deans' intention to play a fast, open game.

"He is perfectly equipped for what we are asking him to do," Deans said.

"He is going to thrive as long as he just gets on with it and doesn't get stage fright so to speak. There's nothing there that should daunt him."

Former Wallabies and Argentine Test prop Patricio Noriega offered technical advice at a live scrummaging session yesterday.

"There are a lot of good quality forwards, especially in the front row and the second row," Noriega said. "They are going to be very competitive."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html