Dual international Lote Tuqiri turns his hand to coaching
Dual international Lote Tuqiri will make a return to rugby league in a surprise new role.
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Look who’s back in mainstream rugby league as a coach.
It is the legendary Lote Tuqiri who will coach the Brisbane Tigers Connell Challenge under 16s armed with a vault full of knowledge and an old Tim Sheens play book featuring some of Benji Marshall’s best trick shots.
The dual international and two-time NRL premiership winner is on a coaching journey to who knows where, but he is super excited to impart his knowledge and make sure his under 16s were enjoying themselves.
“It (coaching) floats my boat,’’ Tuqiri, 42, said.
He enters the fray at the high profile Tigers having dabbled successfully in coaching his son’s team at Easts juniors over the last few years. “I just thought there was something there that I could help (junior kids) with,’’ he said.
“I thought ‘I actually like coaching. I like seeing the boys improve’. I am not sure how far it will go but I am enjoying seeing the (coaching) journey progress.’’
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Tuqiri brings to the table his own personality and style, while having been mentored by the best over the years.
His first profile coach was Wayne Bennett when he broke into the Broncos as a young gun.
Then after switching codes to rugby union, Tuqiri played under Bob Dwyer (Wallabies), Chris Hickey (NSW), Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs), Eddie Jones (Wallabies) and Matt O’Connor (Leicester and Leinster), before rejoining the NRL under Tim Sheens (Wests Tigers), Michael Maguire (South Sydney). Along the way he was even coached by Anthony Griffin in the south east Queensland under 16s.
So with all that coaching knowledge, what will his style be?
“I think I have taken a piece from a lot of different coaches and one thing they all have in common, you get your rewards from working hard and working hard as a team and doing it together,’’ Tuqiri said.
“And those shared experiences help in creating something special.’’
Around hard work, watch for his young Tiger cubs to pull off some Benji Marshall or Robbie Farrah moves from out of one of the Tigers “old play books’’ he has kept.
“It is an old play book from Tim Sheens,’’ said Tuqiri, whose family hails from the glorious Fijian Coral Coast village of Namatakula.
“It has everything from the theme of the year to structures and where we wanted to go in attack and defence.
“And some of the plays - I am pulling plays out from when Benji was playing and the kids definitely like some of it. There are a few Robbie Farah moves from dummy half.
“I kept that (season) play book because I must admit when I played at the Tigers (2010-2013), it was the most enjoyment I had on the footy field because we played a bit of footy.
“I am not saying I did not enjoy myself at other clubs. But we played with a bit of abandon and skill, a bit of chance which I really enjoyed.’’
During his playing career, Tuqiri said he did not aspire to be a coach although he was always interested in “why and how we get into places on the field’’.
“I was never in on those conversations because I was more about getting in and having some fun, but I was always interested (in parts of coaching strategies).’’
But most of all he still wants his under 16s to enjoy themselves.
“I liked to enjoy myself on the field and when the boys are smiling, you know they are having fun,’’ the South Sunnybank and Logan Brothers junior said.
“I think in kids’ age groups, I think coaches can get bogged down trying to play like in the NRL or Super Rugby or Test matches.
“But in this position I am in, I am a development coach and I am developing myself as well and developing players, but at the end of the day you want the boys to have fun.
“You still want to win, but I like the kids to enjoy themselves and if they want to do something, I am happy to facilitate to see if that can work.’’
Tuqiri plans to eavesdrop on Brisbane Tigers coaching head Jon Buchanan this season, and attend training sessions to watch Michael Maguire coach at the Tigers and Craig Bellamy coach at the Storm.
“I know from a player’s point of view how it works, but from a coaching point of view, I just want to get more experience,’’ he said.
But for the moment he is excited to help improve his Brisbane Tigers under 16s and make sure they enjoy themselves after the hard work is done.
“This is a great place to start and I am learning a hell of a lot,’’ he said.
LOTE TUQIRI FAST FACTS
Age: 42
NRL matches: 167
Queensland Origins: 6
Kangaroos: 9 Tests
Fiji league Tests: 4
NRL premierships: Broncos (2000), South Sydney (2014).
Wallaby Tests: 67
NSW Waratahs games: 89
COACHING SUPER SIX
WHAT LOTE SAYS ABOUT ....
Wayne Bennett
“He gets teams working together well, he makes sure there is a common purpose. He gets that team mentality, us against them, he gets that going really early.”
Bob Dwyer
He was always about enjoying the game. He found the best players he could get and was about enjoying the game and aspects of rugby life in general. He liked to tour, to go to good restaurants and a bottle of red wine. He was a well cultured man.
Ewen McKenzie
He was hard working. He came from under Eddie Jones so he had to be very, very hard working. He left no stones unturned, and I thought he had very good relationships with players, but evidently that was not the case. But from my perspective, I had a good relationship and did not mind him.
Eddie Jones
Hard worker. He was a real hard tough, task master. But like Wayne (Bennett), you worked hard but there was an off switch and there was room to have a bit of down time and take it all in. You worked hard with Eddie and Wayne, but you were allowed to be yourself.
Tim Sheens
He was one of the better coaches I have had from an attacking point of view. He backed players’ ability in and around him. You played for him and you had fun and I really enjoyed that environment.
Michael Maguire
He was really tough. I was at the back end of my career and I had to play differently. I got injured early and had to work my way back and he was watching how I reacted. The young South Sydney team got me through that year (2014), because I was probably looking for an old age pension card at training, looking not to do as much as everyone else if I am honest. But that did not work with Madge (Maguire). You are in here and you do as much as everyone else and that taught me a lesson to be honest. He is a hard taskmaster, but he got results. And when you got success it was rewarding. But it was a tough grind every week.
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