Tuqiri - danger man

By DAVID LEGGAT

Lote Tuqiri has given the Australian selectors a pleasant headache ahead of the showdown with the All Blacks.

The former Brisbane Broncos league flyer, playing his 12th test, finally got his chance on the big stage in the win over Scotland after having a largely replacement role so far. He grabbed it with relish.

Tuqiri was the most dangerous back on the park. It took a desperate, diving tackle by Chris Paterson to stop him as he fled down the left touchline with the line 40 metres away and daylight in front in the first half; another damaging run cut the Scottish defence open; and he played a big part in captain George Gregan's game-deciding try with a jinking, elusive run in the second spell.

He was invariably threatening and gave a controversial aspect of his team's game a fresh, sharper look.

Debate has raged over the right combination in the back three since the start of the tournament.

Mat Rogers, Chris Latham and Joe Roff have been tried at fullback, Wendell Sailor seems to have a mortgage on the right wing, and Roff and Tuqiri have had chances on the left.

Tuqiri, who has scored four tries in his five appearances, got the nod ahead of the experienced Roff on Saturday night and he will be hard to shift for the semifinal.

"I just went out to do my best," was his low-key response to his performance.

Was it enough to retain his place?

"Mate, I don't know. It's up to the selectors and we'll see how it goes."

His coach, Eddie Jones, was more forthcoming, giving the 24-year-old a pat on the back. "He defended aggressively and some of his work off the ball was very good ... It was a very good performance."

While Jones praised the work of his backline, he was forced to defend his other two league recruits, Sailor and Rogers, neither of whom was totally convincing.

Sailor remains a powerful, but one-dimensional attacker, and Rogers, although a safe line kicker, had the handling blues which cost one gilt-edged chance early on.

The match-up between Tuqiri and Doug Howlett shapes as a belter on Saturday night. Similarly, Joe Rokocoko against Sailor, pace versus power, is a fascinating prospect.

"There's some good wingers around," Jones said. "Good wingers have been able to take small opportunities and create them into something for their teams.

"Certainly they've been fairly significant in terms of breaking the line."

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