League convert Timana Tahu has become a $2 million rugby misfit
March 22, 2009
HE left rugby league as arguably the game's most dominant centre, but Timana Tahu has become rugby union's $2 million reserve.
Two seasons into the four-year contract that lured him from rugby league, Tahu has still not completed a full match in Super 14.
The Sunday Telegraph has unearthed statistics that show Tahu is getting less than 42 minutes a game.
On Saturday night, against the Crusaders, he was given only 16.
Former Australia full-back Glen Ella rates Tahu a "freak athlete", adding the Australian Rugby Union was right to invest in him. But he said it was a waste of money if they didn't use him.
"They're probably paying him an absolute fortune and he's probably getting paid under false pretenses because he's not on the field enough," Ella said.
"He came over from league to play union, not sit on the bench.
"He's a class player, he was a class player in the other code. He's got the best off-loads in the competition, you've just got to give him a chance.
"At the moment he plays one good game and he's sat back on the bench for the next game.
"He needs to play rugby at the highest level for a consistent period."
Despite playing four Tests in his first year of rugby, Tahu has only started six of his 13 games with New South Wales Waratahs.
Waratahs coach Chris Hickey continues to rotate his centres, explaining it's partly a strategy for injury prevention.
But there is also a suggestion that fly-half Kurtley Beale operates better with the steady Tom Carter by his side.
But Ella claimed the lack of consistency in the backline selection was just contributing to a stuttering Waratahs attack.
"I think that's the thing that would give (Tahu) the most frustration, he starts one week and runs off the bench the other week," Ella said.
"I suppose him and Tommy Carter don't know what's going on, and I think that's part of the contributing fact that NSW are not playing so well in their backline because they change their backline every week."
The most action Tahu saw on Saturday night was warming up behind the in-goal area. He wasn't even sitting on the bench at the start of the game, walking out of the tunnel after the first 10 minutes.[/b]
