Swashbuckling Tuqiri's compelling case
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Josh Rakic | August 16, 2009
WALLABIES discard Lote Tuqiri yesterday showed why he's still regarded as the best winger in international rugby, dominating proceedings in his first match since June.
Despite his unfair dismissal case against the Australian Rugby Union still being before the courts, Tuqiri looked anything but a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders after having his $1.2 million-a-year contract torn up in July.
Playing for West Harbour for nothing more then a few snags and a beer, the dreadlocked speedster had a hand in everything in the narrow 23-16 loss to Warringah in the Shute Shield match - despite wearing the No.11 jumper.
Only the playmakers touched the ball more than the crowd favourite, who drew in more than 2000 spectators for the seventh-versus-eighth clash at Pittwater Park.
Afterwards, Tuqiri declared himself pleased with the outing - and the chance to put his off-field woes behind him, temporarily at least.
''I was feeling it in that first half but the competitive juices started flowing in that second half and we nearly got them home,'' he said. ''We come home with a wet sail but just didn't have enough time.
''I was pretty happy with the game - got a few touches on and busted a few tackles. So it was good for the confidence. And back to the footy, I love it. I can't think of anything better to keep my mind off things.
''The support's great and it's been great for the last five or six weeks. I've got to commend the public and all these kids here and walking down the street. That's what you play for. I don't know how my under-11s went the other day, they played today, but I'll see how they go.''
Asked if he knew what the future held, Tuqiri said: ''Not yet. I'll see how everything goes and wait for another couple of weeks and go from there.
''There's things [offers and rumours] going on everywhere and you've got to take everything in, but I'll just see what pans out. I just love playing footy and to be back next game for the Pirates.''
Tuqiri's first touch came in just the 15th second when he fielded a bomb inside his own half under heavy Warringah pressure. The crowd, just two metres to his left, howled but Tuqiri took the swirling high ball as he was collected.
His involvement was evident from the opening whistle, barking out orders from his left wing.
Not content with staying on his wing, Tuqiri was constantly in the action from the get go, moving into centre and even fullback at stages.
At the fourth minute he got his second touch playing one in, put boot to ball and a play later chased down a flying Jordan Macey and stopped a certain try by knocking the ball clean from his hands, although he did concede a penalty.
Two phases later and it was the home side that posted first points, No.9 Brett Sheehan converting a penalty goal for a spear tackle directly in front of the posts.
The 67-test veteran was involved again at the eighth minute, carving up Warringah's right edge defence to put try-scoring machine Henry Seavula into space.
Despite the Pirates' mountain of possession in attacking positions, it was the home side that notched the first try through No.4 workhorse Hugh Pyle.
With Tuqiri's wing proving impenetrable, the Rats shifted their attack to the other side of the field for an almost instant result. An in-form Sheehan, who threw a classy 25m pass to start the phase, missed the conversion for Warringah to lead 8-0 after 17 minutes of the first half.
The Pirates posted their first points of the match at the 21st minute, when an Tuqiri-inspired attacking play down his opposite edge ended up in the visitors receiving a penalty at the breakdown.
Gun fullback Nick Reily converted to have the scores at 8-3. Tuqiri then stopped a certain try on his wing, holding up Pat McCabe and winning the ball back in the process.
But another breakdown infringement, this time by the Pirates, let Sheehan extend Warringah's lead to 11-3 with another penalty goal.
Tuqiri's game had just one blemish in the first half when he turned over the ball in a good attacking position with eight minutes left on the clock, just 20m short of the Rats' line after some impressive lead-up work by his forwards.
But the fumble had little effect, Reily making the most of a Rats penalty to get the Pirates within five points at the 35th minute mark.
Tuqiri's wing came under pressure early in the second stanza when Macey chipped around the the former Waratah, capitalised on a perfect bounce and sped away to score the second try of the match.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...99.html?page=2
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Supporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
Originally Posted by mudskipper
Was the wait worth it - Ya betta baby 
the Pirates don't have the S14 players other clubs do...
