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Tatafu Polota-Nau to make Wallabies swansong against Samoa
By Online Editors
Veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is set to bring the curtain down on his Wallabies career in Saturday's World Cup warm-up Test against Samoa in Sydney.
Polota-Nau missed selection for the World Cup, starting later this month in Japan, but will play a farewell Test at BankWest Stadium with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika set to name a mix of players from within and outside the squad.
Barring an injury which results in a World Cup call-up, his 90th Test will be his last for Australia.
Polota-Nau made his Test debut in 2005 as a 20-year-old against England before even playing a Super Rugby match.
His international career looked over at the end of 2018 but he answered Cheika's call at his UK club Leicester to try to push for a third World Cup.
"It's a privilege to wear the gold jersey again, most likely for the last time," Polota-Nau said.
"It's been a hell of a journey from my end and I feel very fortunate."
The 34-year-old has been training with the World Cup players at their camp in New Caledonia and Polota-Nau felt the No.2 jersey was in good hands.
The Wallabies coach has opted for a World Cup rookie brigade in Folau Faingaa, Tolu Latu and Jordan Uelese.
"They are great - it's possibly the best combination you will get for preparation for a World Cup," the former Waratahs rake said.
"There're various skills that each hooker possesses and I'm fortunate I've been able to witness that.
"I have every confidence they will be able to the job over in Japan."
Polota-Nau was part of the Wallabies' last Test match against Samoa in 2011 when the world No.16 team pulled off a huge 32-23 upset victory.
"It's a very important game," he said.
"Not just to get different combinations in the right place but also for guys who don't get much exposure in Test rugby to test their wares.
"Samoa are a really experienced side with many of them playing in the premiership where I'm at (UK) so they will have a lot to offer as they prepare for Japan as well."
- AAP
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Yeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
Go to commentsDan Carter is the leading points scorer and leading points per game person for a player with significant tests. 2s RWC winner and member of the games greatest ever team. It's not even close. The only question of GOAT for rugby is whether McCaw deserves it given Carter's numbers.
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