Lote Tuquri
Encyclopedia
Lote Daulako Tuqiri is a Fiji
an/Australian professional rugby league
player and former rugby union
player who is currently signed to the Wests Tigers
in the NRL who has represented Australia in both rugby codes, and Fiji in rugby league. He usually plays as a winger.
He first rose to prominence as a rugby league player for the Brisbane Broncos
and Queensland Maroons, as well as the Fiji
and Australia national sides. He switched to rugby union in 2002, winning 67 caps for Australia
and being a part of their 2003 and 2007 World Cup
squads. He played rugby union for the Waratahs
in the Super 14
, and Leicester Tigers
in England in season 2009–10.
Tuqiri's contract with the Australian Rugby Union
was terminated on 1 July 2009. No immediate reason was given, and Tuqiri returned to rugby league in 2010.
to mother Titilia and father Tukula and grew up in Namatakula
with family including older sister Mela, younger brother Tevita and sister Sereana. He moved to Australia with his family at the age of 15, settling at Sunnybank, Queensland
(a suburb of Brisbane
) where he began playing competitive sport for the Souths Sunnybank Rugby League while attending school at Sunnybank State High School.
' rookie of the year award in 1999
. In 2000
he secured his regular spot in the first grade line-up at the club, proving to be a talented winger in the year that Brisbane won their third premiership in four seasons. His partnership with Wendell Sailor
on the other wing proved a nightmare for opposition teams to defend against and both players shared the Broncos' top try-scorer position in the 2000 season
with 18 apiece. The considerable size of both wingers also made it as though there were two extra forwards on the field, allowing pressure to be taken off the forward pack. This contributed greatly to the Broncos' dominance of the NRL in this period. At the end of the season Tuqiri travelled to England as captain of the Fiji national team
for the 2000 World Cup
. The Bati failed to advance past the group stage, winning one of their three matches, but Tuqiri was his team's top try and goal scorer for the tournament.
The following year Tuqiri was one of many players picked by Queensland for their debut appearance in State of Origin
. Tuqiri played for the Maroons in all three matches of the 2001 State of Origin series. His selection proved to be a success when he scored Queensland's opening try and played impressively throughout the series, which was won by the Maroons. That season he also went on to play test football for Australia and became recognised as the best winger in the sport. Tuqiri was also the Broncos' top try-scorer for the 2001 season
with 21, the second highest number of tries scored in a season by a Brisbane player. He was picked to represent Australia against New Zealand
, scoring a try in the 28–10 victory in the one-off Test match. At the end of the 2001 NRL season, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour
.
As early as January 2002 it was being reported that the Australian Rugby Union
was seeking Tuqiri's signature. His 2002 season
was also an impressive one, and he showed much of his renowned strength and speed, in round 9 setting a new club record for most points scored by one player in a single match. Once more he topped the Broncos' try-scoring ladder for the season (along with Darren Lockyer
and Chris Walker) and again he represented both Queensland and Australia. Playing in all three games of the 2002 State of Origin series, Tuqiri scored in each match, amassing a total of 28 points. He also became one of a select few players to score a hat-trick
in an interstate match. At the 2002 Dally M Awards
he was named as winger of the year.
At the end of the season, after the announcement of his switch to rugby union, he was overlooked for selection in the end of season Test against New Zealand.
Altogether, Tuqiri played 99 games for Brisbane between 1999 and 2002 and clocked up a tally of 260 points before his much-publicised switch to rugby union
. His last game for the Broncos was the 16–12 preliminary final loss against eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters
, whom the Broncos beat in the 2000 decider.
, and at the end of the 2002 football season he announced that he had signed a contract to play rugby union in 2003 with the New South Wales Waratahs
, and was therefore leaving rugby league. In 2003 he switched codes, moving from rugby league to play rugby with the Waratahs
. Tuqiri's transition to rugby union proved to be successful, and no one was surprised when his speed and strength gained him selection for the Wallabies
, for whom he made his international union debut in June 2003 against Ireland
, becoming Australia's 43rd dual code rugby international.
He was one of four former Queensland Maroons players to feature in two of the top three teams in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
, along with Mat Rogers
and Wendell Sailor
for Australia and Brad Thorn
for the All Blacks
. Tuqiri scored tries against Romania
and Namibia
during the pool stages, and scored the Wallabies' only try in the final against England
. He finished the tournament as one of the top try scorers for Australia, behind Rogers and Chris Latham
.
In 2004 Tuqiri toured the United Kingdom and France with the Wallabies. On the Wallabies
2005 tour of Europe he was moved in-field to centre due to a considerable loss of backs through injury during that tour. In 2006 he was selected to represent Australia in the Rugby Sevens
event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne. That season the Waratahs
were semi-finalists in the Super 14 competition. During that year's Tri Nations series Tuqiri was suspended for five games after a dangerous tackle on All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw
.
During 2006–07 there was speculation regarding his future and whether he would stay in rugby union or return to rugby league. Tuqiri had stated that he was considering returning to league after the 2007 Rugby World Cup
, following the footsteps of fellow Waratah Mat Rogers
. Tuqiri had options to re-sign his contract with either the Waratahs or the Reds
in the Super 14
, or numerous clubs in the NRL
, including the South Sydney Rabbitohs
and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. After being given a 5:00 pm deadline on 13 March 2007 to either accept or decline the offer from the Australian Rugby Union
he announced he had decided to stay in rugby union for the next five years. During a 2007 Super 14 game, Tuqiri pushed Sam Norton-Knight
in the back after Norton-Knight "made a poor on-field decision".
Tuqiri's contract would ordinarily have meant that he would stay with the Waratahs and the Wallabies till the year 2012, but on 1 July 2009 the ARU announced an unexplained, immediate termination of the contract. Subsequently, it has been suggested that the reason for the termination of his contract was that he had entertained a 20 year old student in his room, in breach of strict team rules.
He made his debut for the Leicester Tigers
off the bench against the Springboks
on 6 November 2009 and the Tigers defeated the World cup holders.
, he was due to arrive in Australia at the end of March, a few weeks in to the 2010 NRL season
but instead he returned home early to play the Tigers first home game in the 2010 season against Manly. He played his last game of rugby union against London Irish
where his Leicester side won 35–19. In his return to rugby league, he scored a try on his first touch of the ball, and at least one try in each of his first three games including a double vs the Parramatta Eels on 26 March. His form in his return season for the Tigers continued to be strong and the club came within one match of the 2010 Grand Final.
On 19 October 2010, Tuqiri was officially named in the Australian squad for the Four Nations
as a replacement for the injured Jarryd Hayne
. He played for the Kangaroos in all four matches, including the final, scoring one try. He became the first code-crosser to play test rugby league for Australia a second time after returning from rugby union.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an/Australian professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player and former rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who is currently signed to the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in the NRL who has represented Australia in both rugby codes, and Fiji in rugby league. He usually plays as a winger.
He first rose to prominence as a rugby league player for the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
and Queensland Maroons, as well as the Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
and Australia national sides. He switched to rugby union in 2002, winning 67 caps for Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and being a part of their 2003 and 2007 World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
squads. He played rugby union for the Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
, and Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in England in season 2009–10.
Tuqiri's contract with the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
was terminated on 1 July 2009. No immediate reason was given, and Tuqiri returned to rugby league in 2010.
Early life
Tuqiri was born in Korolevu, FijiFiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
to mother Titilia and father Tukula and grew up in Namatakula
Namatakula
Namatakula is a village located in Fiji at on the Coral Coast. The population is approximately 2,522.Rugby league greats Lote Tuqiri and Noa Nadruku are both products of Namatakula....
with family including older sister Mela, younger brother Tevita and sister Sereana. He moved to Australia with his family at the age of 15, settling at Sunnybank, Queensland
Sunnybank, Queensland
Sunnybank is now a suburb in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia much reduced in size from the previous suburb of Sunnybank. The separate Town of Sunnybank was absorbed into the City of Brisbane. This older Sunnybank area is still known locally as Sunnybank...
(a suburb of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
) where he began playing competitive sport for the Souths Sunnybank Rugby League while attending school at Sunnybank State High School.
Rugby league
Tuqiri won the Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
' rookie of the year award in 1999
Brisbane Broncos 1999
The 1999 Brisbane Broncos season was the twelfth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 1999 premiership, reaching the finals but losing their first play-off match.-Season summary:...
. In 2000
Brisbane Broncos 2000
The 2000 Brisbane Broncos season was the thirteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2000 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 1st to claim the minor premiership before going on to win the grand final, their fifth title in the last nine years.-Season summary:Brisbane...
he secured his regular spot in the first grade line-up at the club, proving to be a talented winger in the year that Brisbane won their third premiership in four seasons. His partnership with Wendell Sailor
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby...
on the other wing proved a nightmare for opposition teams to defend against and both players shared the Broncos' top try-scorer position in the 2000 season
Brisbane Broncos 2000
The 2000 Brisbane Broncos season was the thirteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2000 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 1st to claim the minor premiership before going on to win the grand final, their fifth title in the last nine years.-Season summary:Brisbane...
with 18 apiece. The considerable size of both wingers also made it as though there were two extra forwards on the field, allowing pressure to be taken off the forward pack. This contributed greatly to the Broncos' dominance of the NRL in this period. At the end of the season Tuqiri travelled to England as captain of the Fiji national team
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
for the 2000 World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
. The Bati failed to advance past the group stage, winning one of their three matches, but Tuqiri was his team's top try and goal scorer for the tournament.
The following year Tuqiri was one of many players picked by Queensland for their debut appearance in State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
. Tuqiri played for the Maroons in all three matches of the 2001 State of Origin series. His selection proved to be a success when he scored Queensland's opening try and played impressively throughout the series, which was won by the Maroons. That season he also went on to play test football for Australia and became recognised as the best winger in the sport. Tuqiri was also the Broncos' top try-scorer for the 2001 season
Brisbane Broncos 2001
The 2001 Brisbane Broncos season was the fourteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2001 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season in fifth position, going on to play in the finals and coming within one match of the grand final....
with 21, the second highest number of tries scored in a season by a Brisbane player. He was picked to represent Australia against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
, scoring a try in the 28–10 victory in the one-off Test match. At the end of the 2001 NRL season, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour
2001 Kangaroo Tour
The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was almost abandoned due to the events of September 11, 2001. The tour was initially cancelled by the ARL but after strong public opinion in both Great Britain and Australia, it went ahead, though the only games played were the three tests, marking the first Kangaroo Tour to...
.
As early as January 2002 it was being reported that the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
was seeking Tuqiri's signature. His 2002 season
Brisbane Broncos 2002
The 2002 Brisbane Broncos season was the fifteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2002 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season in third position before going on to again come within one match of the grand final for the second consecutive year.- Season summary :The...
was also an impressive one, and he showed much of his renowned strength and speed, in round 9 setting a new club record for most points scored by one player in a single match. Once more he topped the Broncos' try-scoring ladder for the season (along with Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011...
and Chris Walker) and again he represented both Queensland and Australia. Playing in all three games of the 2002 State of Origin series, Tuqiri scored in each match, amassing a total of 28 points. He also became one of a select few players to score a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in an interstate match. At the 2002 Dally M Awards
Dally M Awards
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
he was named as winger of the year.
At the end of the season, after the announcement of his switch to rugby union, he was overlooked for selection in the end of season Test against New Zealand.
Altogether, Tuqiri played 99 games for Brisbane between 1999 and 2002 and clocked up a tally of 260 points before his much-publicised switch to rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. His last game for the Broncos was the 16–12 preliminary final loss against eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, whom the Broncos beat in the 2000 decider.
Rugby union
Tuqiri's talent attracted the interest of the Australian Rugby UnionAustralian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
, and at the end of the 2002 football season he announced that he had signed a contract to play rugby union in 2003 with the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
, and was therefore leaving rugby league. In 2003 he switched codes, moving from rugby league to play rugby with the Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
. Tuqiri's transition to rugby union proved to be successful, and no one was surprised when his speed and strength gained him selection for the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, for whom he made his international union debut in June 2003 against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, becoming Australia's 43rd dual code rugby international.
He was one of four former Queensland Maroons players to feature in two of the top three teams in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, along with Mat Rogers
Mat Rogers
Matthew S. "Mat" Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He also played rugby union at the highest levels, becoming a dual-code international. The son of the late Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks legend and CEO Steve Rogers, Mat played for the Sharks...
and Wendell Sailor
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby...
for Australia and Brad Thorn
Brad Thorn
Bradley Carnegie Thorn is a professional rugby union player. He has in the past represented Australia at rugby league, and currently represents New Zealand in union...
for the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. Tuqiri scored tries against Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
and Namibia
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
during the pool stages, and scored the Wallabies' only try in the final against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. He finished the tournament as one of the top try scorers for Australia, behind Rogers and Chris Latham
Chris Latham (rugby player)
Chris Latham is an Australian rugby union player, who played fullback for the Worcester Warriors, following a long career with the Queensland Reds and Australia....
.
In 2004 Tuqiri toured the United Kingdom and France with the Wallabies. On the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
2005 tour of Europe he was moved in-field to centre due to a considerable loss of backs through injury during that tour. In 2006 he was selected to represent Australia in the Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne. That season the Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
were semi-finalists in the Super 14 competition. During that year's Tri Nations series Tuqiri was suspended for five games after a dangerous tackle on All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...
.
During 2006–07 there was speculation regarding his future and whether he would stay in rugby union or return to rugby league. Tuqiri had stated that he was considering returning to league after the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, following the footsteps of fellow Waratah Mat Rogers
Mat Rogers
Matthew S. "Mat" Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He also played rugby union at the highest levels, becoming a dual-code international. The son of the late Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks legend and CEO Steve Rogers, Mat played for the Sharks...
. Tuqiri had options to re-sign his contract with either the Waratahs or the Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
, or numerous clubs in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, including the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. After being given a 5:00 pm deadline on 13 March 2007 to either accept or decline the offer from the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
he announced he had decided to stay in rugby union for the next five years. During a 2007 Super 14 game, Tuqiri pushed Sam Norton-Knight
Sam Norton-Knight
Sam Norton-Knight is an Australian international rugby union footballer. He was born in Canberra but was educated on the Gold Coast....
in the back after Norton-Knight "made a poor on-field decision".
Tuqiri's contract would ordinarily have meant that he would stay with the Waratahs and the Wallabies till the year 2012, but on 1 July 2009 the ARU announced an unexplained, immediate termination of the contract. Subsequently, it has been suggested that the reason for the termination of his contract was that he had entertained a 20 year old student in his room, in breach of strict team rules.
He made his debut for the Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
off the bench against the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
on 6 November 2009 and the Tigers defeated the World cup holders.
Return to Rugby League
In February 2010, Tuqiri officially announced a return to rugby league after a 7 year absence. Signing a three year deal with NRL club Wests TigersWests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
, he was due to arrive in Australia at the end of March, a few weeks in to the 2010 NRL season
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium...
but instead he returned home early to play the Tigers first home game in the 2010 season against Manly. He played his last game of rugby union against London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
where his Leicester side won 35–19. In his return to rugby league, he scored a try on his first touch of the ball, and at least one try in each of his first three games including a double vs the Parramatta Eels on 26 March. His form in his return season for the Tigers continued to be strong and the club came within one match of the 2010 Grand Final.
On 19 October 2010, Tuqiri was officially named in the Australian squad for the Four Nations
2010 Rugby League Four Nations
The 2010 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was played in Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2010. The tournament was the second time the Four Nations had been held, following on from the 2009 edition held in England and France....
as a replacement for the injured Jarryd Hayne
Jarryd Hayne
Jarryd Lee Hayne is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian, Fiji international representative winger and fullback, he has played his entire NRL career to date with Parramatta, with whom he got to the...
. He played for the Kangaroos in all four matches, including the final, scoring one try. He became the first code-crosser to play test rugby league for Australia a second time after returning from rugby union.