‘I actually got pumped’: Wallaby enforcer Lukhan Tui smashed by club rugby reserve grader
ON the eve of a possible call-up to the Wallabies run-on side against Ireland, Wallaby Lukhan Tui was sent back to reserve grade to get some minutes in the legs. But it was far from a walk in the park for the Wallabies enforcer.
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LUKHAN Tui doesn’t mind admitting he got “smacked”.
And on the eve of a possible call-up to the Wallabies run-on side for the decider against Ireland, he’s thankful for it, even.
The setting was Meakin Park in Logan, South of Brisbane, a week out from the first Test with the Irish.
Tui was in the frame for Wallabies selection but due to suspension and injury had only played a handful of games for Queensland all year. Brad Thorn couldn’t find a spot on the bench for Tui in the Reds-Waratahs clash so he was sent back to club rugby with Souths.
The next problem was Souths first-grade had a bye, so dispensation was made for Tui to play in reserve grade against Logan City Saints.
Walk in the park? Er, not in Logan. Not on your life.
“It was a tough game. I actually got pumped,” Tui laughs.
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“They knew straight away who I was. It kind of reminded me of when I was playing rugby league out here in west Sydney, there were a lot of Poly boys there. I knew going into the game the guys wanted to smash me, and mate, they got me good. One young guy, I got smacked.”
WATCH THE MASSIVE HIT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
Tui got smacked so good the video is still doing the rounds in Brisbane.
It shows the 120kg, 198cm Wallabies forward trucking the ball up with speed from a kick off and — boomfa — Tui gets put flat onto his back. The defender was a 21-year-old prop called Ramese Uoka and the Logan crowd went wild.
“He got me good. He got up and he was laughing and I said: ‘you got me good, bro’,” Tui said.
“It was humbling to go back and play that level. I reckon it done me a world of good leading into the Tests.
“A lot of people might say that’s rubbish but to go back and play park footy against those boys, personally, for myself it prepped me up really well. I went into the next week feeling ready.”
Souths got the points, Tui got the bruises and the next day he joined the Wallabies. Seven days later Tui came off the bench against Ireland and last weekend, the big forward played a strong 40 minutes in the second Test.
Logan City reserve grade had done their bit for the nation.
“It was good to get some minutes. It was a tough game and obviously we didn’t get the result, but they were good. Hopefully we can turn that around this week,” Tui said.
Tui’s powerful carries and defence — and reliable lineout presence — have him positioned as a good chance to be promoted past Caleb Timu and into the starting side.
Tui, who grew up playing league in southwest Sydney, said he didn’t mind what position he played in the middle-row. He has played mostly lock but Cheika has him pencilled in as a No.6.
“To be honest, anywhere I can get a spot in the team I guess. But for me nothing really changes. Run hard, tackle hard is what I try to do. The only difference is where I push in the scrums,” he said.
A decider at a sold-out Allianz Stadium is a long way from Meakin Park, but not in Tui’s mind. And, clearly, not in Uoka’s mind either.
“It was only a mindset thing really. Coming back into Test footy from club rugby, nothing changed for me,” Tui said.
“I just carried my game into a different environment. You have to be physical, no matter where you are. It’s footy. You can’t be half-hearted.”
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