Tongan Thor ready if it's au revoir to Australia

Perth Now

7 days ago

Taniela Tupou says he's "at peace" if the First Nations and Pasifika XV match against the British and Irish Lions is the last in Australia for the powerhouse prop.
"Tongan Thor" was left out of the Wallabies squad for their opening Test loss against the tourists in Brisbane while his inclusion in the historic selection that will play at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night likely rules him out of the second Test at the MCG.
Captained by Wallabies veteran Kurtley Beale and coached by Test great Toutai Kefu, the inaugural First Nations and Pasifika side are looking to cause a boilover against the unbeaten Lions, who have already taken a 1-0 lead over Australia in the Test series.
After a disappointing season with the NSW Waratahs, Tupou signed a two-year deal to play in France with the star-studded Racing 92 team putting in jeopardy any future Wallabies involvement beyond the Lions series.
Tupou has slipped behind Allan Alaalatoa and Tom Robertson in the tighthead stocks and while he will rejoin the Wallabies training squad ahead of remaining two Tests, Tuesday's match might be his last on home soil.
"Look, I'm here having fun, enjoying it, whatever happens, happens," Tupou said of his Test future.
"So if I'm back, I'm back and if not, I'm living life, I'm enjoying it.
"Just play my footy tomorrow and then see what happens after that ... hopefully I will play again, if not, then I'm at peace with it."
The 29-year-old, who was described as having potential to be the best tighthead in the world, was asked how he'd like to be remembered if his 58-Test career was over.
"They'll remember me how they want to remember me," he said.
Hooker Paenga-Amosa said he wanted to enjoy "one last ride" with his former Queensland teammate and good friend and said the playing group, representing First Nations, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga, Maori and Samoa, had got a boost by his inclusion.
"There's a buzz around having him back, him and Filipo Daugunu back in the camp as well ... it really excited a lot of us, you know, knowing that we get these two heavy hitters."
Paenga-Amosa has already faced the Lions twice, with the Western Force and the AUNZ outfit and acknowledged the mammoth task of taking down the tourists, who will be skippered by Owen Farrell.
"What I've learned is just to have a crack mate, you know, just everybody come together and let's just give it the best that we can for 80 minutes," he said.
"We know that they're not really focused on us, and that's OK ... we just want to show them what we're made of."