Schmidt sends Tupou back to Waratahs for Lions clash
Out-of-form Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou has been released back to NSW Waratahs for the Super Rugby franchise’s clash with the British & Irish Lions on Saturday night.
Tupou will head back to Sydney from Newcastle, where the Wallabies are preparing to face Fiji on Sunday, to help out the Waratahs who are otherwise going to be without regular starters Angus Bell, Dave Porecki, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon, Andrew Kellaway and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
He may yet be joined by winger Max Jorgensen, who missed the back half of Super Rugby through a syndesmosis injury, but Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt may also hand the winger a chance to blow out the cobwebs against the Fijians.
Tupou’s release comes on the back of Western Force prop Tom Robertson’s outstanding game against the Lions in Perth on Saturday night. Robertson had been switched to loosehead after spending the entire Super Rugby season at tighthead for the Force, but front-rower dominated famed Irish and Lions tighthead Tadgh Furlong while wearing the No. 1 jersey.
Robertson and the Force were unfortunate not to get any reward from referee Ben O’Keeffe for their first-half dominance and the prop’s performance won’t have been lost on Schmidt nor Wallabies scrum coach Mike Cron.
Tupou, meanwhile, had a forgettable Super season where he struggled to make any significant impact after heading north from the now-defunct Melbourne Rebels.
There were glimpses he might have been turning the corner late in the season, but he had clearly been usurped as the Wallabies first-choice No. 3 by Brumbies star Allan Alaalatoa.
It may be that Schmidt is keen to see Robertson and veteran James Slipper off the bench against Fiji on Sunday, given the duo has the adaptability to play on both sides of the scrum.
Regardless, Tupou will boost a Waratahs tight five that is severely under-strength and inexperienced.
The Lions are expected to put NSW to the sword, but face a far sterner test against Queensland Reds three days earlier. Matt Faessler and Hunter Paisami were last week released from Wallabies camp for the Reds’ clash with the tourists.
Tupou’s release comes as speculation increases he will depart Australian rugby at the end of 2025 to take up a deal with French giants Racing 92.
Tupou’s current deal with the Waratahs and Rugby Australia expires at the end of the year and there is no way he will get anything near the $1m price tag he commanded last time around.
Source: espn.com