Many players welcome the bye, no matter what round it comes.
However, Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou has shown his intentions for this season, with coach Dan McKellar revealing the prop is keen to play no matter the occasion in 2025.
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Tupou made his debut for the club last weekend, lodging his most minutes of Rugby since the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
With the Waratahs on a bye this weekend, the Wallaby went to McKellar eager to feature for the Waratahs ‘A’ side against Brumbies Runners on Saturday.
“He gave me a call wanting to play in the A game this weekend just to keep building his minutes, and it says where he’s at headspace-wise and where he’s at,” McKellar told reporters after Waratahs training on Thursday.
“He’s working hard in the background. He’s settled here with his family and just really pleased (to) just keep chipping away at him and coaching him.
“I think that’s the most important thing….It’s not just about the flash carries and just about the scrum, it’s the clean-out work, the tackle work.”
McKellar and Tupou have worked together at Test level in the past, with the former forwards coach noticing the same habits that brought the best out of him
“He’s so engaged,” the coach notes.
“Yesterday afternoon, (he was) one of the first players in wanting to go through individual clips. You know, when ‘Nela’s showing those behaviours, he’s clearly happy and clearly in a position where he’s trying to get the best out of himself.
“…It’s good signs not just here; it’s a big year ahead for the Wallabies, and if Taniela is playing good, consistent rugby, he doesn’t need to be the best player on the field, just goes about his job and does it well from one week to the next. That’ll be good for us and it’ll obviously be good for the Wallabies.”
McKellar was pleased with the example set by Tupou, with cult hero Siosifa Amone and returning prop Dan Botha amongst the players under his tutelage.
“We’ve put in place an environment and a program where we want to challenge and develop them and allow them to be themselves and be happy,” McKellar added.
“You want to turn up and just get better every day and that’s the message that we’re pushing.
“It’s great because it’s a great example for (Sifa), Brad Amituanai, Dan Botha and other young tighthead props that are here as well.”
