Tupou needs to tame Lions to earn Wallabies recall
Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season.
"With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle.
"I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can."
Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December.
"The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum.
"And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either.
"He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability."
The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds.
Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0.
Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth.
"They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said.
"I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities.
"They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game."
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions.
Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season.
"With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle.
"I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can."
Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December.
"The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum.
"And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either.
"He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability."
The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds.
Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0.
Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth.
"They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said.
"I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities.
"They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game."
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions.
Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season.
"With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle.
"I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can."
Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December.
"The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum.
"And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either.
"He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability."
The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds.
Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0.
Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth.
"They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said.
"I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities.
"They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game."
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It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them."
