Wallabies 2025

[Blue]

Look I hope like hell he gets to form and stays fit for the BI Lions. I just hope all efforts are made to ensure that? Including by him...

With him and Bell fit for all three tests and able to play their role you guys look a hell of a lot better than without them.

The problem is not so much the next 1 and 3 what comes after that...

 

[Derpus]

There is an interview with them saying he was around 136-137kg in 2020 when he was playing some of his best form IMO.
There was a pre-season interview where he said he had hit 150kg after been around 143kg prior to holidays.

Bro it is so fucking nuts that any human athlete can weigh that much. Sometimes you forget just what a unique human he is.

 

[Ignoto]

The problem is not so much the next 1 and 3 what comes after that...

We've got the Australian Aidan Ross returning home after Super Rugby to help bolster stocks.

Plus, its not like our scrum wasn't effective in the 2024 Spring Tour with young props in Zane and Isaac.

Our prop depth is actually fairly healthy if we don't have a repeat of 2023 where we lose both Alan and Taniela in the space of a few months.

The backs are where we're struggling to field competitive man for man match ups.

 

[Yoda]

Yeah mate that injury really took it out of him. He’s still our best scrummaging TH by a fair margin I think. But he’s gotta lose 5kg. Hopefully he can do that over the season.

How does he not lose the weight? He’s on huge money and must be on a nutrition and training plan? It can’t be that hard?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

It's on him at this point. Teams can only do so much and an adult needs to show some responsibility. He does seem to be fighting a natural path that is hard as many of the PI players do continue to put on mass through their careers but it's still on him.

 

[Major Tom]

How does he not lose the weight? He’s on huge money and must be on a nutrition and training plan? It can’t be that hard?

Yeah, I don't know. I also don't know how accurate his listed 148kg is.

 

[Strewthcobber]

The 28-year-old quickly discovered that he signed up for more than he bargained for, as his partner pushed him to the limit by daring him to complete the 43m bungy jump above Kawarau River – a lead that requires daredevils to be under 155kg.

Easy, or so Tupou thought.

“I weighed myself in because I wanted to train hard before I go to Queenstown, because I wanted to enjoy it,” Tupou said.

“I was 143. We had lunch, we had a few beers. We went to the place and I said, ‘What’s the weight limit?’

“They said, ‘155.’

“I was like, ‘Oh, I’m sweet. I’m at least ten kilos lighter.’

“They were like, ‘You have to weigh in anyway.’

“So I jump on and it’s 150. I said, ‘Oh f—k’. I was still under, but in my head, I’m like, have I put on that much weight in three days?”

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/02/09/i-can-still-offer-something-tupou-opens-up-on-future-tough-mckellar-and-bungy-jumping-horror/

 

[Major Tom]

Yeah I remember reading that. But surely, he would have lost more than 2 kilos then. Either way, he needs to get to 135-140max. It's clearly effecting how he gets around the park, particularly his power game.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Yeah I remember reading that. But surely, he would have lost more than 2 kilos then. Either way, he needs to get to 135-140max. It's clearly effecting how he gets around the park, particularly his power game.

I think Tupou is probably a 145 plus or minus 5kg kind of guy, depending if he's weighing in after a big training session, or after a big refueling session

 

[Sword of Justice]

Not trying to make excuses but now that he is over 25yo he’s going to have to learn to live with his metabolism. As funny as it sounds, when he was 130kg he was slim for his genealogy. A developing injury history in the most critical ligament for running won’t help his cardio chances.

Facing up to the reality of him being a very bright candle that burns twice as fast is important too. He won’t be a pro athlete for that long in all likelihood, just too much load for a relatively cardio driven sport on his ligaments.

 

[dru]

I think Tupou is probably a 145 plus or minus 5kg kind of guy, depending if he's weighing in after a big training session, or after a big refueling session

I'm like 80kgb but depending on when I weigh can be between 79 to 83, a good 4kg band. If it's proportional, Tupou's "band" wouldn't be far off 10 kg.

That said it is completely on him. I shudder to think how he goes once he retires.

 

[Adam84]

For all the talk of Tupou, my concern is Bell and the Waratahs use of him.

8 games into the season and Tahs haven’t rested him despite the other 3 Oz teams implementing a rotation policy for key wallabies, he is also averaging 58’ mins a match which is more then Tupou in his last season at the Teds when he was ‘run into the ground’

Surely Moana would have been a key opportunity to rest either Tupou or Bell, it doesn’t get any easier from here.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Wallabies apparently can't play 7 matches/weeks in a row, Tahs had bye in week 2, so looks like both of them will be having next week off against the Chiefs next week (!)

Daugunu getting an exception due to injuries by the sound of things.

 

[Derpus]

I'm like 80kgb but depending on when I weigh can be between 79 to 83, a good 4kg band. If it's proportional, Tupou's "band" wouldn't be far off 10 kg.

That said it is completely on him. I shudder to think how he goes once he retires.

Wont Tupou lose weight when he retires? His body composition may worsen but muscle weighs more than fat and he probably wont be doing the work required to retain what i assume is a ridiculous amount of muscle.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Speaking of resting, some hard calls to be made at the end of the season. Force will definitely need to be resting Wallabies so get through the regular season, and both reds and Tahs will be coming up against that 7 games in a row issue should they make finals.

I wonder what they will do with that?

 

[Sword of Justice]

Wont Tupou lose weight when he retires? His body composition may worsen but muscle weighs more than fat and he probably wont be doing the work required to retain what i assume is a ridiculous amount of muscle.

Possibly but I wouldn’t be so sure. I used to sit right next to the away team’s families at Suncorp and my experience has been that the pro propa are often the smallest of the males in their families. I know that holds true for some Wallabies.

We underestimate just how much these big boys have to run around, imo.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He'll lose a bit of muscle but he'll remain big. Not too many of the Islanders lose all that.

Also the more muscle you have the higher your natural calorie burn rate while sedentary. If he was to lose a bit of muscle it his ability to maintain a healthy weight will be even harder. Takes a while for your hunger and food habits to catch up as well and you arent spending the calories at the same rate.

 

[Wilson]

Wallabies apparently can't play 7 matches/weeks in a row, Tahs had bye in week 2, so looks like both of them will be having next week off against the Chiefs next week (!)

Daugunu getting an exception due to injuries by the sound of things.

That was the way it was originally put, but it sounds like it's a lot more individualized for players - Potter and Robertson are surely as much wallabies as Ryan Lonergan, but while Ryan had a wallaby rest last week (leading into a bye), Robertson and Potter will start for their 8th game in a row this week.

I do expect Bell to get the week off next week, but it's far from certain at this stage. If both Tupou and Bell do need to serve their mandated rest next week it's going to be an absolute massacre at Allianz against the Chiefs.

 

[Wilson]

Lolesio heading to Japan:

Lolesio’s Japan move puts Lions and World Cup hopes at risk

Wallabies five-eighth Noah Lolesio has agreed to move to Japan to play club rugby in 2026, with an option to play until the end of 2027.

www.smh.com.au

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Jack Deb time to shine big dawg.

That was the way it was originally put, but it sounds like it's a lot more individualized for players - Potter and Robertson are surely as much wallabies as Ryan Lonergan, but while Ryan had a wallaby rest last week (leading into a bye), Robertson and Potter will start for their 8th game in a row this week.

I do expect Bell to get the week off next week, but it's far from certain at this stage. If both Tupou and Bell do need to serve their mandated rest next week it's going to be an absolute massacre at Allianz against the Chiefs.

It will, but the score changes from 35/10 to 50/10 loss. I get the feeling DM is pushing for this W looking at the season as a whole and how they can maximise it.