Don't underestimate Fiji - Tuqiri

[Burgs]

Don't underestimate Fiji - Tuqiri Don't overestimate Tuqiri - Fiji

(Rugby News Service) Thursday 20 September 2007
By Paul Reid
From Montpellier

MONTPELLIER, 19 September - Fijian-born Wallaby wing Lote Tuqiri knows better than most of his Australia teammates the potential ambush they could be walking into if they're not careful against Fiji at Montpellier's Stade de la Mosson on Sunday.

Tuqiri, who captained Fiji against Australia in rugby league in 2000, believes his former countrymen will be primed for a big performance.

"Fiji are always unpredictable. It's whether they turn up (mentally) and I think they'll turn up for this one," Tuqiri said.

"Knowing the Fijian psyche a bit, they love playing against the bigger nations and playing well against them so this'll be a good test for them and a good grade to see where they're at before they (play) Wales."

Tuqiri will celebrate his 28th birthday on match day and hopes he can celebrate with a big performance against the country of his birth.

"Hopefully I can get a bit of a roll on and get some form up going in to the quarter-
finals," he said.

What he said Australia can't afford to do is allow the Fijians to "get a roll on".

"I certainly know from playing on that side of the fence that if you get a bit of a sniff, get a bit of a roll on, you start trying things and they come off.

"We just can't give Fiji too much leeway in that sense."

Thanks Captain Obvious

[Jehna]

Ha... In other words, "don't underestimate Fiji because when i play shit i'm going to blame it on the fact they're actually better than we think (despite the fact they're fielding a second rate team), rather than taking responsibility for my own shit-ness"....

[KenyaQuin]

Ouch! Someone's on a mission..

[lmaag]

At the risk of getting hammered here, can we give Lote a break? I didn't think he played poorly against the Welsh, he wasn't outstanding by any means, however I think the massive criticism he's been receiving is slightly unfair.

[Burgs]

What does he have to do to make it fair?
He has had a very average season and is being paid a very much above average wage.
To be worth the dollars he is on he needs to be above average to outstanding every time he pulls on a Wallaby or Waratah jersey.
To put it another way, he has not played to twice the value of Mitchell, Ashley-Cooper, Shepherd or Gerrard for his teams, but continues to believe he deserves the respect of the best player in the World.
To Lote, time to put up or shut up!

[RuckNMaul]

He has had a very average season and is being paid a very much above average wage.
To be worth the dollars he is on he needs to be above average to outstanding every time he pulls on a Wallaby or Waratah jersey.
To put it another way, he has not played to twice the value of Mitchell, Ashley-Cooper, Shepherd or Gerrard for his teams, but continues to believe he deserves the respect of the best player in the World.
To Lote, time to put up or shut up!

Here here

[Seldom]

Great comments Burgs.

[chook]

How can you even compare The Evil Lord Gerrard to The Warrior of the Light, Lote? You are plain crazy Burgs.

Lote to score 3 tries.

Happy Birthday champ!!!

[Burgs]

Relax, I just need some time

September 21, 2007

Lote Tuqiri says top form is closer than you think, writes Rupert Guinness in Montpellier. (Not really, we all think it is a game away, and away, and away...)

WALLABIES winger Lote Tuqiri is adamant that he must (Knuckles: "Oh, is that right Lote?") play every game at the World Cup if he is to rediscover his form as a strike weapon and provide Australia with the tries they will need to win the Webb Ellis Trophy.

Tuqiri realises he has not yet hit his straps in a stop-start season.

He is also a player who builds into form rather than explodes into it, hence the need for game time.

(WHO THE F*** DOES HE THINK HE IS?!?!?! Australia CAN do it without you you Muppet!!!)

But with Australia to play Fiji in Montpellier on Sunday, Tuqiri has plenty of incentive to take his game up a notch from his first two World Cup games against Japan and Wales.

He will not only be playing his nation of birth, but it will be on his 29th birthday. It was also in Australia's 49-10 win against Fiji at Perth in June when he scored his last career try - bagging two in a man-of-the-match performance.

Tuqiri believes his World Cup record proves that he is better for game time, while other players may benefit from being rested.

In the 2003 World Cup, he played every match, but apart from the pool game against Namibia, his first run-on match was not until the quarter-final against Scotland. Until that time he had been coming off the bench.

But after the Scotland game his form then ominously lifted in intensity and impact, with impressive starts in the semi-final against New Zealand and then the final against England where he scored the first try.

"I don't like to sit there. I would rather play than train," said Tuqiri who, before the World Cup, had not played a Test since Australia's June 8 win over the All Blacks in Melbourne following a two-match ban for missing a medical and recovery session.

"I need to play football. I love playing. Hopefully, I'll play in every game, but I don't know. I think he [coach John Connolly] wants to give Cameron Shepherd a run next week."

The 2003 World Cup told Tuqiri that a slow start to this year's cup was not a big concern.

"We're only two games into it. Hopefully, I can get a bit of a roll on and get some form going into the quarters," he said. "I haven't played many games in the last months, so I'm looking forward to getting out there, getting a hand on the footy first."

Tuqiri revealed that he hadn't realised Sunday's clash would fall on his birthday until his eldest sister Mela told him. (bullshit...)

"I haven't thought about it. It is just another game, another birthday … another year getting older," he said. "But it will be nice to play my country of birth on my birthday. My sister thought it was special. Everyone back home will be glued to the television."

Tuqiri admits he would like to start adding to his total of 27 tries from 55 Tests.

"Yeah, it would be nice, especially after not getting a try against Japan, and we only had 30 per cent of possession last week against Wales," he said.

There are three things Tuqiri knows about Fiji, who are still in the running for a quarter-finals berth pending their final pool game against Wales.

Firstly: he could be in store for a little niggle. "I get a bit more treatment [from them] I think," he said with a smile.

Secondly: their unpredictable style of play makes them dangerous. "Knowing the Fiji psyche, they love playing against the bigger nations and playing well against them.

"This will be a good test for them to see where they are before they head to Wales."

Thirdly: Fiji have some inside knowledge of Australia's game, as coach Ilie Tabua's assistants include Shannon Fraser (backs) and Greg Mumm (forwards) from NSW. "They will know some of our plays and how our players tick, for sure."

[KenyaQuin]

Burgs, you're on a mission too..

[Burgs]

More of a crusade I would like to think KQ
Nah, seriously, while Lote keeps talking rubbish he deserves to be ridiculed.
He needs to get himself out of the media, with the ARU's blessing, and do his talking on the park.
It is getting ridiculous...and slightly embarrassing...that he is representing the Wallabies in so much of the media exposure.

[RuckNMaul]

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!!

[Jehna]

Touche boys...

Tuqiri has plenty of incentive to take his game up a notch from his first two World Cup games against Japan and Wales. He will not only be playing his nation of birth, but it will be on his 29th birthday.

It's my birthday on Monday...perhaps i should get a world cup call up?

[GIGS20]

How can you even compare The Evil Lord Gerrard to The Warrior of the Light, Lote? You are plain crazy Burgs.

Lote to score 3 tries.

Happy Birthday champ!!!

Chook have you been watching the alternative rugby commentary, those names are starting to sound a lot like Professor Thian

www.arcrugby.co.nz

[chook]

Never heard of it GIGST. Am I being plagiarised?