Taniela Tupou has signed a two-year deal to stay in Australia but is quitting the Queensland Reds to join the Melbourne Rebels from 2024.
Rugby Australia has granted Tupou’s demand to “show me the money” with a multi-million dollar deal.
Tupou is very unlikely to play for the Reds again after suffering an Achilles injury on the Spring Tour against Ireland. The Wallabies are hoping he is back in time for the Rugby Championship in a bid to prove fitness for the World Cup.
Tupou is off contract at the end of 2023 and was considered a flight risk. He has spoken openly about wanting to play in Japan and last year challenged RA to pay what was necessary to make him stay.
“Show me the money – I’m joking … I’m not joking though – c’mon (Dave) Rennie,” Tupou said last year.
“I’ve loved it, am so grateful for the Reds, they really trust me and I think I gave my all every year.
“This year, next year I’ll do everything I can to help this team win and we’ll see how we go after that.”
There were fears that Tupou’s deal with Rugby Australia had fallen through on Monday night when the governing body got cold feet.
Some at RA, including CEO Andy Marinos, were anxious about whether Tupou’s multi-million dollar deal was good business given the giant prop’s Achilles injury.
But, understanding the importance of landing a big fish after letting another slip through the net in Samu Kerevi last week, negotiations moved quickly on Tuesday after some RA executives caught wind of the possibility of losing the headline act to Japan.
On Tuesday night, Tupou gave the go-ahead to nominate the Rebels as his preferred franchise to join.
He will link up with his first coach in Super Rugby, Nick Stiles, who is the Rebels’ general manager.
Tupou also has a number of close friends at the Rebels, including former Reds hooker Alex Mafi.
His move to the Rebels is the biggest signature of the Super Rugby franchise’s history.
While the Rebels have signed poster boys in the past like James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale, as well as former England playmaker Danny Cipriani, Tupou is headline material and a tight-head prop who makes the game sexy and can win matches off his own bat.
His defection to the Rebels comes at the same time Tupou has been doing promotional work for the Reds ahead of their season opener against the Hurricanes in Townsville.
While many north of the Tweed border will be perplexed at how the Reds have let Tupou slip away, his departure was a long time coming.
Tupou has been increasingly restless at the Reds for more than a year, but his departure can help reinvigorate his career.
That’s not to lay the blame at the feet of the Reds, with Tupou needing to hold himself accountable for his career stalling.
But with his future sorted, Australian rugby will be desperate that Tupou can drive straight and find a renewed sense of motivation to fulfill his incredible potential.
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