Wallabies World Cup bolter filling Tupou's shoes

1 year ago 91

Taniela Tupou's symptom is Zane Nonggorr's gain.

With the Wallabies prima retired of enactment with a ruptured Achilles tendon, young weapon Nonggorr looks acceptable to capable the void astatine the Queensland Reds this season.

At conscionable 21-years-old, the prop already has 13 Super Rugby games to his sanction and volition beryllium warring chap young weapon Phransis Sula-Siaosi, 22, and Fiji planetary Peni Ravai, 32, for Tupou's starting spot astatine tighthead.

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The Gold Coaster made conscionable 1 commencement for the Reds past twelvemonth but with Tupou and Harry Hoopert (knee) out, Nonggorr is the prime of the disposable bunch, according to defence manager Phil Blake.

"We've got a precise bully replacement successful Zane Nonggorr," said Blake.

"It's a large accidental for Zane and he's stepped into the breach, but erstwhile you suffer radical of prime similar Taniela, it has an interaction obviously, but it's similar adjacent antheral up and distant we go.

"He evidently has been fixed a sensation implicit the past 12 months astatine Super Rugby, truthful present it's his accidental to ain that jumper.

"By each indications done the trials and done his mentation done grooming for the past 2 oregon 3 months, he's been exceptional.

"He'd surely beryllium 1 for not lone Queensland fans but for Australian rugby radical to support an oculus on."

Such is Blake's religion successful Nonggorr that helium reckons helium could enactment himself successful the representation for Wallabies selection.

It's hoped Tupou volition beryllium acceptable successful clip for this year's Rugby World Cup successful France.

"He won't beryllium playing Super Rugby," Blake said of Tupou.

"He whitethorn get backmost towards the end, perchance for the World Cup, but those benignant of injuries are 9 months plus.

"I'm not excessively definite of the timelines. He'd person to beryllium precise diligent with his rehab and what person you. But yeah, it's 1 of those injuries you don't really want. It's horrible.

"Certainly, if helium tin get to a level wherever he's consistent, helium wouldn't beryllium acold distant (from selection)," Blake said of Nonggorr.

"But earlier that, helium needs to play good for Queensland and consistently good for Queensland and past it volition beryllium up to Eddie (Jones) and co to bash what they do."

The Reds volition look the Hurricanes successful their archetypal circular Super Rugby lucifer successful Townsville connected February 25.

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