‘Tongan Thor’ Taniela Tupou reports for training at Queensland Reds and impresses new coaches

THE Tongan Thor has landed. Teen rugby sensation Taniela Tupou reported for Reds training — and he didn’t disappoint his new coaches.

Reds coach Richard Graham and Taniela Tupou at Reds training, Ballymore. Pic Jono Searle.

TANIELA Tupou carries the nickname “Tongan Thor”. Thankfully his potential is no myth, which is a great relief for the Queensland Reds after the first week assessing their prized 130kg recruit.

The footage of prop Taniela Tupou as a rampaging, sidestepping try-machine for his New Zealand school made him an internet sensation earlier this year and spiked recruitment interest on both sides of the Tasman and in Europe.

It was a coup for the Reds to sign Tupou at 18 when the New Zealand Rugby Union also tried to woo him.

Taniela Tupou trains in front of Reds coach Richard Graham at Ballymore.

Taniela Tupou has hit the ground running at the Reds training.

Taniela Tupou is put through his paces at Ballymore.

Taniela Tupou and new teammate David McDuling at Reds training.

His bona fides as a beast for the future seemed clear, but you never quite know until a player with a big reputation lands.

In the early days of the National Basketball League, “trans-Pacific shrink” was a running gag as American imports who were 200cm Tarzans on paper shrunk by 10cm and lost all their ability by the time they got off the plane in Australia.

A highlights reel can make any batsman look like Bradman for a single stroke, so actually putting the microscope on young Tupou was significant.

“He has been pleasantly surprising in all ways,” said Reds forwards coach Nick Stiles.

“His strength in the gym is outstanding for his age and he just gets those massive legs and hips into a good shape when he scrummages, which was something we never saw on the internet highlights.

“He’s 130kg and he can move so there are definitely the materials there to develop.”

Reds coach Richard Graham assessed intangible qualities of equal value: “There’s a work ethic and determination there which is positive because he’s heading into technical work that is far more advanced than anything he did at schoolboy level.”

Tupou slotted in beside code-hopper Karmichael Hunt and former Brisbane Broncos under-20 five-eighth Duncan Paia’aua when the remodelled Reds began pre-season training this week.

Karmichael Hunt runs with the ball at Reds training.

Quietly-spoken Tupou was brief but upbeat after joining the squad for the first time.

“The Reds boys have been very welcoming and it already feels like I’m learning new things every day,” he said.

South African Marco Kotze won a reward for his hard-edged, physical displays for Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship by this week winning the latest Elite Development Squad place to train with the Reds. Sydney University prop Sam Talakai is also new on the books.

Lock-flanker Kotze made his name at GPS this year with a stunning 80m solo try down the touchline at Yoku Rd.

Originally published as ‘Tongan Thor’ Taniela Tupou reports for training at Queensland Reds and impresses new coaches