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Waratahs have high hopes for new recruit Lopeti Timani to follow in Rocky Elsom's footsteps
By staff writers
The Daily Telegraph December 28, 2010 7:27AM
In 2003 New South Wales Waratahs coach Bob Dwyer dropped a selection bombshell by naming a little-known recruit from NRL club Canterbury-Bankstown in his squad for the start of the Super 14 season.
Rocky Elsom was such a bolter that his profile did not even appear in the squad's media guide, but his selection proved to be one of Dwyer's selection masterstrokes.
Now the Waratahs have signed another young forward from the Bulldogs who bears striking similarities to the current Wallabies skipper. And they have high hopes they are on to another winner in rookie forward Lopeti Timani.
"He is a big man and an explosive player -- the combination of those qualities make him a really good gain for us," said Waratahs coach Chris Hickey.
While Elsom was a front-rower in the Bulldogs' premiership-winning Jersey Flegg side coached by Ricky Stuart in 2001, Timani played in the same position with the club's Toyota Cup team that made the semi-finals this year.
Both players were recruited by the Waratahs as backrowers without any fanfare when they were 20-year-olds.
The Waratahs had watched Timani's performances in the Toyota Cup this season and liked what he had to offer.
"He is very strong, he is a strong ball carrier, has a good workrate, good defence and a strong rugby background," Hickey said of the 116kg, 196cm loose forward.
"So when he was interested in coming back to rugby we were very keen to get him involved with us in our professional academy."
Timani may not currently be in the Waratahs' full-time squad, but that is no barrier to him playing in this year's Super Rugby competition.
Hickey pointed out that in 2010 three players who started in the Waratahs Academy -- Kane Douglas, Lachie McCaffrey and Pat McCutcheon -- turned out in Super 14.
"Those players in our academy are certainly contenders for selection, that opportunity is always there for them if their performances warrant it," Hickey said.
"You have to remember we had Kane Douglas, who was in our academy and finished off starting in 12 of the 13 games we played."
Timani got a taste of what is required by training with the Waratahs' main squad leading up to Christmas.
"I think rugby is a bit better game for me," Timani said.
"I'm enjoying the training but it is a little bit hard."
His transition to the Waratahs has been made easier by the fact that his elder brother Sitaleki has also joined the Waratahs Academy.
The Waratahs start training again next week after their Christmas break with their first trial against Fiji at the SFS on February 4.
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