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Lote's hand up to fill Latham's boots
Peter Kogoy | December 20, 2007
LOTE TUQIRI shapes as a bolter to fill Chris Latham's vacant Wallabies fullback jumper after contemplating a switch to the position for his Super 14 side, the Waratahs.
Latham yesterday announced he would quit Australian rugby after the Tri-Nations series next June, leaving a gaping hole in the backline.
A vacancy also exists at fullback at NSW with no readymade replacement, following the departure overseas of Peter Hewat.
Hewat was granted an early release from his Super 14 contract to sign a lucrative deal with English club London Irish after leading the Central Coast Rays to a premiership in the now defunct Australian Rugby Championship.
"I've had a chat with (Waratahs backline coach) Todd (Louden) about possibly playing down back," Tuqiri said yesterday. "He sees me working as a pendulum in the back three and the way I look at it, the role is not much different to playing on the wing.
"But, obviously, I've got to pick up on my kicking skills. I wouldn't say no to the idea, if asked.
"I really wouldn't mind having a crack, but we'll wait and see if I'm given a crack at the position in the trials after Christmas."
Tuqiri said he was dumbfounded by the ARU's decision not to offer Latham a deal that would keep him in Australia.
"Latham has been one of the great servants of Australian rugby," he said. "He's always shown passion, heart and drive when it came to him pulling on a green and gold jersey.
"The thing I liked about him was that, if I found myself a bit down out on the field, he'd be there at the back pumping you up, and when he wasn't he'd be there pumping himself up.
"He'll be missed, in that sense."
Tuqiri likened Latham to a fine wine and still rated him as a world-class player.
"I think he's got better with age and, personally, I'm quite disappointed to see him leave because he's worked harder as he's gotten older," he said. "Chris is still, far and away, one of the best number 15s in the world and he showed that at the World Cup.
"Who knows, him leaving could be the start of a trend to be followed by guys who are also coming off contract next year. It would be a big shame, as you don't want to see those types of guys leaving our game prematurely."
One man who has fended off the overtures of foreign money is former rugby league international Timana Tahu who quit the 13-man game this year to link with Tuqiri at the Waratahs.
Tuqiri welcomed Tahu to Sydney club side West Harbour at Concord Oval, where the pair are contracted to play from next season when available.
Elsewhere, Blues coach David Nucifora said he hasn't considered whether he'd be a part of new Wallabies coach Robbie Deans backroom staff.
Nucifora was one of five Australian candidates for the position, for which the appointment process was extended while Deans first sought the job as All Blacks coach.
With a New Zealander now in charge of the Wallabies, many believe an Australian is likely to be appointed in an assistant role but the Blues coach said he hadn't been approached.
"I suppose we do go back to the guessing game again but I haven't thought about it," Nucifora said yesterday.
"I don't know what Robbie's thinking or what the ARU are thinking.
"I haven't really moved down that path yet and it'd be wasted energy to do that until anything happens.
"If someone's interested, I'm sure they'll get in touch with me at some point but until that happens I'm just really concentrating on here."
Nucifora won a Super 12 title with the Brumbies in 2004 but was given notice during that season due to a "player power" revolt.
He joined the Blues in 2005, as a technical adviser before taking over as head coach and guiding them to the semi-finals last year.
Meanwhile, the Rugby Union Players Association yesterday called on the ARU to reconsider its axing of the ARC after just one season, warning the decision threatens to deepen the rifts already in the game.
The RUPA said the ARU made the decision to dump the eight-team competition, which made a $4.7million loss in its inaugural season, before a "rigorous assessment" of Australian rugby's player development programs.
"There is more than one way to skin a cat," RUPA chief executive Tony Dempsey said in a statement. "The players have already indicated they are prepared to consider reviewing player salaries for the ARC. We would envisage other key stakeholders might also be able to consider some rationalisation in order to save this very valuable competition.
"Terminating the ARC now would be hasty and not give Australia's stakeholders time to assess the rationalisation opportunities available. It is important we go through this step to avoid polarising even further the stakeholders of this game."
The RUPA statement said the ARU should grant the competition a stay of execution "pending the outcome of a rigorous assessment of Australian rugby's development programs by a working party comprised of its key stakeholders over the next three months".
Additional reporting: Agencies
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