Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
From an impartial onlooker's viewpoint - the Wallabies went to a RWC with two hookers only on the assumption a prop (Sc ott Sio) could fill in at Hooker if one went down. Is it too much to ask a hooker (either TPN or Latu) to pack down at prop when the others were unavailable. I seem to remember Latu playing prop exclusively in the NRC and some times in Shute Shield last year.
IRB/World Rugby Regulations are funny. I believe that since the switch to the 2 prop bench, you can't even force the reserve loosehead to play tighthead even if the two tightheads are injured, as each position is considered specialist.
Now, most teams choose to do so, given you can't swap out a non-front rower for a prop, and most of them have played the other side at club level, or age grade or even under the 3 prop bench so it's not dangerous. But why would you bring back on a cold player (TPN) when you don't have to.