Lote Tuqiri

A regular fixture on the Wallaby wing last term before injury disrupted his 2008 Spring Tour, restricted him to just one Test appearance off the bench, LOTE TUQIRI posted his 30th Test try during Australia’s historic win over South Africa at Durban. This tied Joe Roff and Tim Horan as the third most prolific try-scorers in Wallaby Test history, 10 behind Chris Latham and 34 astern of David Campese. The former NRL Grand final winner in rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos has also established himself as the leading try-scorer for the Waratahs in Super rugby since making the switch in codes in 2003. Born in Fiji but more recently of Queensland, where he grew up, Tuqiri wound up his rugby league career one game short of a century of appearances for the Broncos, having also appeared regularly for Queensland in the famous State of Origin series. He scored Australia’s try in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final against England during his first season, and scored against the same opponent again in the 2007 tournament quarterfinal.

1999-2002   After 99 first grade matches for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, Tuqiri was widely regarded as the best winger in Rugby League. In 2002, he won the Dally M Winger of the Year Award, as well as scoring a hat trick in game two of the State of Origin for Queensland. He starred at representative level for the Broncos, Queensland and Australia.

2003   Made his Test debut as a replacement against Ireland in Perth, and went on to play in all 14 Tests for the Wallabies that year, scoring five tries.

2004   Was the Wallabies leading try scorer with 10 and played in all but 13 minutes of the 12 Tests.

2005   Celebrated the first Test of the season with a four-try haul against Italy in Melbourne and then finished the year at centre on the Spring Tour. He added a further six tries from 12 Test appearances.

2006   Scored four tries in his 12 Test appearances for the Wallabies, missing just the loss to South Africa in Johannesburg due to suspension. He again switched between wing and outside centre on the Spring Tour, playing centre against Wales and Ireland. Finished the year by playing in his 50th Test, against Scotland at Murrayfield.

2007   Featured in every match for the Waratahs and celebrated his 50th Super rugby cap against the Sharks in Durban.  Later attended his second Rugby World Cup, posting the 50th try of his union career during the quarter-final loss to England.

2008   Appeared in 12 of the 15 matches played by the Waratahs as they advanced to their second Super rugby final. Selected by his third Wallaby coach, in Robbie Deans, starting in all but one of Australia’s nine domestic Tests, before the rehabilitation required after knee surgery restricted his involvement on the Spring Tour to appearances in the final two matches.