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European giants table offer for Wallaby Taniela Tupou - report
Australia and Melbourne Rebels tighthead prop Taniel Tupou has received an offer from four-time European champions Leinster to join at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific season, according Australian outlet CODE Sports.
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With the future of his current club beyond this season shrouded in uncertainty, Leinster could potentially lure ‘Tongan Thor’ away from Australia with a reported offer of $950k AUD a year.
The 27-year-old is currently contracted with Rugby Australia and the Rebels until 2025, the year they host the British & Irish Lions, and earns $1.2m AUD a year.
Tupou only arrived at the Rebels this season from the Queensland Reds, but has joined a side that went into voluntary administration before the start of the Super Rugby season, and made large swathes of their staff redundant.
Leinster may be able to offer Tupou a lifeline while equally finding an elite-level replacement for current tighthead Michael Ala’alatoa, who is set to join Top 14 outfit ASM Clermont Auvergne at the end of the season.
The Irish outfit currently sit at the top of the United Rugby Championship table and have a home round of 16 tie in the Investec Champions Cup to come against Leicester Tigers in April.
Up against his former side the Reds on Friday, Tupou failed to impress, only lasting 32 minutes before being removed.
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Following the Rebels’ 53-26 loss, RugbyPass writer Finn Morton gave a withering appraisal of Tupou’s season so far, writing: “Tupou just hasn’t looked like his old self this season. There haven’t been any terrorising runs down the field, and not many big hits to note either.
“In two starts from four matches, Taniela Tupou has been quite poor and that’s putting it lightly.
“Playing against his old club the Reds, Tupou didn’t carry the ball once. The tighthead prop also made the least amount of tackles out of any starting forward – and only one more than fly-half Carter Gordon who made four stops.
“Inside the opening 10 minutes, Tupou was walking more than any other player. In one instance, he was the last to arrive at a lineout and one of the last to leave as the play moved on.
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“Tupou did receive some praise from the Stan Sport commentators after winning a penalty at the breakdown early on, but that was about as good as it got for the Tongan Thor.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Fiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
33 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to comments