Wallaby hooker’s scare before Waratahs return

It was the sliding doors moment Wallaby Tatafu Polota-Nau didn’t see coming. The veteran hooker thought he was out of a job before being released to the Waratahs.

Tatafu Polota-Nau is all smiles at Waratahs training. Picture: Brett Costello

Wallaby hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau was worried he was about to get the sack when his Leicester coach Geordan Murphy called him in for an unscheduled meeting last week.

Despite his long proven record on the international stage, the 33-year-old Polota-Nau has been getting little game time with the star-studded Tigers this season so feared the worst when he was summoned by his new boss.

What he heard next caught him by complete surprise because Murphy had an unexpected proposition.

Tatafu Polota-Nau is all smiles at Waratahs training. Picture: Brett Costello

The Irishman had just been contacted by the Waratahs who wanted a short term replacement for the suspended Tolu Latu and wondered if Polota-Nau might be available.

The English club said they were prepared to loan him, but only if he wanted to go. It was a sliding doors moment he didn’t have to ponder too long.

“I thought ‘this will be interesting’,” Polota-Nau said. “I’m not fired so it’s great actually, a win-win situation.

“So I thought about it the whole afternoon and I just saw it as a great opportunity, one to get some more game time and two, hopefully to stake a claim towards the World Cup.”

One of the Waratahs favourite sons, Polota-Nau hopped on the first plane he could and was back in Australia in time for training on Monday where he was told by coach Daryl Gibson that he’d almost certainly be on the bench for Saturday’s big Super Rugby clash with the Queensland Reds.

Tatafu Polota-Nau still harbours national ambitions. Picture: Getty

That might normally have presented some problems for the jet-lagged hooker because he hasn’t played more than 20 minutes of rugby since match since before Christmas but the unexpected chance to wear the sky blue jersey again and push his claims for selection at this year’s World Cup was all the motivation he needed.

“I’m ready to go,” he declared. “It’s been a bit struggle last season and it was my intention to stay up there (England) all season but this was just a curveball, so to speak, but definitely one I want to catch and run with.

“The more I can exposed the better it is for me, but if not, there’s actually pretty of good depth here in Australia to cover hooker so I’m just giving it one last roll of the dice.

“I see it as an opportunity as well because I definitely want to get some game time because I’m towards that age where it’s coming towards the end of my career so I just want make sure I take every opportunity out there.”