Fever Leaves Tuqiri Sweating On Tahs Opener

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday February 8, 2006

Ben Kimber

THE Waratahs face a nervous wait on the fitness of star Lote Tuqiri for Saturday's opening Super 14 clash against the Queensland Reds.

Tuqiri was yesterday named at outside-centre in a 22-man squad for the game and, if fit, will reprise his move to the Wallabies' centres to again play alongside Morgan Turinui in a NSW strip. However, the new Tahs No.13 was unable to train or attend the team announcement yesterday due to a virus.

NSW medical staff were hoping for an improvement overnight because the team departs for Queensland today. If Tuqiri does not recover, Shaun Berne would most likely join the starting XV at No.12, with Turinui shifting to outside-centre. Berne was named on a forwards-stacked bench for NSW.

Coach Ewen McKenzie's decision over which top-class back-rower to leave out of his 22 has been postponed for another week after the selection of five forwards and only two backs on the bench for the Queensland game.

Back-up halfback Brett Sheehan misses out altogether, with first-choice five-eighth Tim Donnelly and reserve back Daniel Halangahu both trialling at halfback this year as cover for captain Chris Whitaker to enable just such a combination.

According to McKenzie, the decision to name five forwards on the bench - with Al Kanaar, Stephen Hoiles and Wycliff Palu in reserve jerseys alongside the front-rowers - was necessary due to the underdone nature of a number of regular starting forwards. Yet it will not set the tone for the entire season.

"It's more to make sure we don't run out of steam there [in the forwards]," McKenzie said. "It's probably more of a response to the fact that we've got a couple of forwards on the comeback; Dan Vickerman, Phil Waugh have only got part-games under their belts so it's more of a combination of where they're up to and what the climate might be like [in the match] that [led us to think] we'd bolster the forward pack.

"Vickerman's been out of the game for six months. We want him in there because he's a great leader and he's got a lot to contribute, but whether he can play 80 minutes is still the subject of debate."

In the middle of the pack, powerful Sydney University second-rower Will Caldwell has edged out Al Kanaar for the No.4 jersey, while on the bench, Tatafu Polota-Nau will back up Adam Freier, and Benn Robinson appears set for his Super 14 debut.

Eastwood prop Robinson, the 2004 Herald rookie of the year in club rugby, has impressed with both his willing scrummaging and work around the field.

Donnelly has first crack at the No.10 jersey, with Sam Norton-Knight slotting in at fullback, and both players will be keen to establish their credentials in the side before Mat Rogers returns.

While only Caldwell could be considered a surprise selection after being named in front of the recovering Kanaar, the tough nature of selections and the subsequent strength of the bench has McKenzie feeling confident about his team's chances.

"The fact that we've got three Wallabies on the bench, and a Wallaby who missed out [Leroy Houston], and Mat Rogers not even available, says that selection is going to be a complicated exercise on a week to week basis," he said. "We are relying on more than just the 15; we used 28 players last year so we know we need them."

At the team announcement yesterday, NSW continued their low-key approach to the war of words that normally precedes these interstate battles, with only Turinui responding to the barbs from north of the border.

But Turinui was also complimentary towards the Reds, noting that NSW had yet to win on their turf. "We got a few little monkeys off our back last year [with a win at home], but there's a big gorilla waiting up there with a win at Suncorp," he said.

NSW: Sam Norton-Knight; Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri, Morgan Turinui, Peter Hewat; Tim Donnelly, Chris Whitaker (c); David Lyons, Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom, Daniel Vickerman, Will Caldwell, Al Baxter, Adam Freier, Matt Dunning. Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Alex Kanaar, Wycliff Palu, Stephen Hoiles, Shaun Berne, Daniel Halangahu.

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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