Australian schoolboy rugby star has no regrets over career path
Queensland winger Murray Taulagi was recruited to rugby league while playing rugby union at school but has no regrets about his chosen path, despite catching up with two of his favourite Wallabies this week.
Ahead of game two of the State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night the Maroons are in camp at Sanctuary Cove, where the Wallabies are also based and bunkered down under the tutelage of coach Eddie Jones.
In 2016 Taulagi was playing for Brisbane State High in union when former North Queensland recruitment chief Clint Zammit was watching. Zammit signed him to a three-year deal the next day. The rest is history, with the 24-year-old Cowboy now one of the game’s best wingers.
Taulagi mingled with the Wallabies, including two of his former schoolmates, although there was no attempt to recruit him on this occasion.
“It was pretty special,” Taulagi said.
“I’m pretty fortunate to have a couple of mates in the Wallabies – Jordan Petaia and Samu Kerevi. They’re both from the same school (at Brisbane State High).
“I also played First XV with Jordan, so it’s always good to catch up with them.
“They’ve been pretty happy for me where I’m at, and I’m happy with how they’re going too.
“We have that pretty special bond where we always communicate to each other no matter where we are in the world.”
Taulagi’s older brother is former Queensland Reds outside back Jamie-Jerry Taulagi but he said he had no desire to return to the game he grew up playing.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Taulagi said.
“I am pretty happy where I am and won’t be going back (to rugby) any time soon.”
Taulagi can’t wait to rip in in his first Origin game at Suncorp Stadium after being forced to withdraw last year from the game three decider with COVID. He watched the Maroons’ 22-12 win from the team hotel in isolation.
“It was such a good feeling after that game though,” Taulagi said.
“I got a phone call from the boys after and was on Facetime. Big Paps (Josh Papalii) and Jeremiah (Nanai) called me.
“I was jealous. I wished I was there … but it is what it is.
“Just being in the locker room and witnessing the atmosphere would have been something special.
“I am very fortunate to be given the opportunity to pull on the Maroon jersey and especially to be playing at Suncorp, so I’m very excited.”
Taulagi played in the 44-12 game-two loss in 2022 but experienced his first Origin win in Adelaide in game one this year when the Maroons prevailed 26-18.
“It just took a couple of days for it to really sink in after that win and we have moved past that now and are focusing on this game here. We’re taking it as nil-all,” he said.
“Right at this moment, we’re just worrying about ourselves and not the outside noise.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
154 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
175 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
175 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
175 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
175 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
175 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
175 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
175 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
175 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
175 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
175 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
175 Go to comments