Tiaan Tauakipulu goes from school to Super Rugby, Shute Shield for Randwick
He barged his way out of the schoolboy ranks into Super Rugby and now one of the rising stars of the sport is honing his talent with a top Sydney Shute Shield club.
Southern Courier
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Most players progress through rugby’s ranks in an orderly fashion but not Tiaan Tauakipulu.
He went straight from school into Super Rugby and is only now playing club rugby for the first time.
“It’s almost unheard of to be done this way,” said Randwick coach Ben McCormack, who injected the young gun into the Galloping Greens for the first time last weekend after his release from the Waratahs bubble.
“He’s a talent.”
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The 19-year-old, who weighs in at 116kg, is one of five brothers who all play rugby and cousin of Cowboys NRL player Murray Taulagi and former Queensland Reds gun Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.
“I just love playing, love getting out there,” said Tauakipulu, who represented New Zealand last year in Australia’s trans-Tasman Shield victory - and against younger brother Keynan, 17, who was in the Aussie side.
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“There were a few injuries in the front row and I made my debut for the Waratahs in round one. It was a bit surreal but I was lucky because the game was in Queensland and all my family were there.”
Tauakipulu said he played around 20 minutes of Super Rugby all up as the Waratahs blooded a host of young talent, leaving with a taste for more.
“I just want to be a better player and person and take what comes my way, keep my head down and keep working.,’’ he said.
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After signing a development contract with the Waratahs out of school last year and making his debut off the bench against the Reds, Tauakipulu is daring to dream of another special matchup in the future.
“Keynan is with the Reds Academy. It would be a dream to run out together next year, even if we were on opposing teams,’’ said Tauakipulu, keen to stay in Sydney with the Waratahs in the future.
“The brother things isn’t a problem. In our household we are always play fighting, it’s just on a bigger stage. And we don’t have to hide from mum and dad, just go out and play.’’