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Jamie Pandaram
The Daily Telegraph
September 08, 2014 12:00AM
THE world’s most sought-after teenage rugby player, Taniela “Tongan Thor” Tupou, is on the verge of an amazing defection to Australia after rejecting the chance to play for the New Zealand Schoolboys.
Tupou was given a weekend deadline to sign a loyalty agreement with the New Zealand Rugby Union and therefore be eligible for its Schoolboys team, which will be announced on Monday, and he has not done so.
This is despite Kiwi officials making special dispensation for Tupou to be named in the squad so that he could commit to the NZRU after initially being blocked because he only carried a Tongan passport.
The snub now leaves him open to pursue a move to Australia, a country Tupou has never lived in, although he has grown up supporting the Wallabies.
The 18-year-old remains eligible for any country because he has not played for any representative team that would lock him in to one *nation’s system under the laws of World Rugby.
Tupou became an internet sensation a few months ago when he scored three blockbusting tries in the first 20 minutes of a nationally televised school First XV game.
The 135kg prop outpaced rival backline players in a *series of weaving runs from his own half, attracting the attention of clubs around the world.
Tupou is being pursued by French and English clubs, but his family’s preference is for him to remain on this side of the world.
And by knocking back the opportunity to play for the junior New Zealand side, Australia is now the clear front-runner to secure the budding superstar.
Only the Melbourne Rebels have filled their Super Rugby roster for next year, and there will be keen interest from the other four Australian teams for Tupou’s services.
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has previously said that he had had an eye on Tupou well before he emerged on television with his three-try effort.
Few teenage players have caught the imagination of the rugby public like Tupou, who was bestowed the Tongan Thor nickname by his Sacred Heart schoolmates.
The Tongan-born prodigy has been likened to a front-row version of Jonah Lomu by those who have witnessed his trampling runs.
New Zealand changed its rules to integrate Tupou into its system and allow him to play for a national secondary schools team when it first appeared bureaucracy could deny him.
Tupou has spoken publicly only once since bursting on to the scene with his hat-trick, telling the New Zealand Herald in July of his frustrations at the possibility of being denied selection into the schools team.
“They said that ‘if you’re not on a New Zealand passport and you’ve been here for four years, you can play for the team’,” Tupou said.
“But I’ve been here for four years and they said I can’t play for the New Zealand A team. It’s not fair. Maybe I’m not good enough to stay here.
“But that’s one of my goals this year — to play for the New Zealand A team. If I can play with them, then maybe I’ll change my mind from going to Australia. If I have the chance to play for the All Blacks, I’ll take it.”
Not signing the NZRU loyalty agreement is Tupou’s strongest indication where his future lies.
The New Zealand Schoolboys under-18s team will play Australia and Fiji later this month.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wa...-1227050655864
So therefore
1. Rebels are full - not going there
2. Reds - can't be any $$$ left after Hunt, JOC, Genia, Horwill, The K's, The Fainga'a's etc - not going there
3. Waratahs - see Reds above and replace names.
4. Brumbies - possibility
5. Force - not enough support from ARU - not coming here.
Looks like he is off to Canberra, but don't be surprised if he ends up north or well north of there
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Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr
