Richard Graham, says it was a hard decision to leave New Zealand. Pictures / Channel 7
Richard Graham, says it was a hard decision to leave New Zealand. Pictures / Channel 7
Queensland Reds prop Taniela Tupou - nicknamed Tongan Thor - is set for a season of club rugby rather than Super Rugby, his coach says.
After a YouTube clip of Tupou playing college rugby for Auckland's Sacred Heart 1st XV went viral in May, professional clubs from all over theworld were keen to nab him.
New Zealand Rugby had hoped to hang on to Tupou, who weighs around 130kg and runs like a back, while European sides were also interested.
But the 18-year-old, who has family in Australia but grew up in Tonga before moving to New Zealand in 2011, chose to continue his development in Queensland and signed with the Reds in September.
Reds coach Richard Graham, who Tupou has moved in with, told Australian TV station Channel Seven that club rugby would be his lot in 2015.
"What you've seen are raw physical qualities in that YouTube clip and certainly that's a strong starting point, his ability to play rugby," Graham told Seven.
"The true champions have humility, they understand that they need to get better and they need to progress and he's got those qualities."
Tupou, who has joined the Reds for pre-season training since relocating to Queensland, said it was hard to leave New Zealand.
