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Tuqiri's taunt: Reds are a cop out
AAP - May 13, 2008, 5:56 pm
NSW Waratahs superstar Lote Tuqiri has inadvertently lit the fuse for another fiery Super 14 derby with Queensland on Saturday night, branding the Reds' class of 2008 a "cop out".
Moments after asking journalists on Tuesday what barbs were coming from north of the border in the lead-up to the annual grudge match, Tuqiri suggested the Reds were glorifying their role as the competition's "spoilers" having long since fallen out of semi-finals contention.
"They call themselves the spoilers and it's a bit of a cop out to call yourselves the spoilers. Why not try a bit harder at the start of the year?" Tuqiri said.
Tuqiri had hoped to avoid raising the opposition's ire.
Instead, the oft-outspoken superstar's taunt has merely added further spice to a match the Waratahs must win to qualify for the semi-finals.
Not that Queensland have any less to play for at Suncorp Stadium.
Wooden-spooners in 2007, a fourth straight loss to NSW could have the Reds finishing only marginally better in second-last position this season.
That wouldn't be much to show for some vastly-improved performances this campaign, including a heartbreaking near-miss against the benchmark Crusaders last Saturday night.
NSW coach Ewen McKenzie said both sides were playing for high stakes, regardless of their contrasting standings on the ladder, and he didn't believe the Reds' priority would be to end the Waratahs' season.
"I don't think their motivation will be anything other than to try to win the game," McKenzie said.
"When they get down to it, they will try to beat us because we are NSW and obviously we will try and beat them because they are Queensland.
"That is what these games are about. That is why they are good to have on the calendar.
"Local derbys are always good fare for rugby people."
After a winless two-match tour of South Africa, Tuqiri said it was imperative for the Waratahs to follow up their 16-13 loss to the Bulls and 13-13 draw with the Stormers with victory over the Reds heading into the playoffs.
"You want to be playing some good footy leading into the semis and getting a bit of a roll on," he said.
"We're not too far away, but a really good win would be nice going to the semis for confidence and everything else.
"I wouldn't say confidence is low but a good win always lifts that up going into a semi-final week."
Tuqiri said was tipping former NSW teammate Morgan Turinui, who has been outstanding in recent weeks for Queensland, to try to unsettle the Waratahs with some verbal volleys, but urged his teammates not to get caught up in any sledging battles.
"I think he'll certainly have a chirp back but you can't make it personal," Tuqiri said.
"It's a game where if you take things personally, it takes away from what you're trying to do as a team. I think we've been professional enough to do that this year.
"We've won the past three derby games and we've got good form coming into another derby game, so hopefully we can have the same result."
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