Taumalolo was ‘too drunk’ to call

JASON Taumalolo fears he has burnt his bridges with New Zealand after revealing he failed to inform Kiwi coach David Kidwell of his Tongan defection because he was too drunk.

The North Queensland wrecking ball admits his longterm Kiwi future rests with their selectors after he played a key role in Tonga’s epic 28-22 World Cup defeat of New Zealand in Hamilton.

Taumalolo has played 10 Tests for New Zealand, but there can surely be no way back in black for the 115kg enforcer after he led Tonga’s stirring Sipi Tau in response to the Kiwi haka on Saturday night. Kidwell last month launched a stinging attack on Taumalolo, accusing the Dally M star of being a coward by not calling to advise he was defecting to Tonga.

When asked why he didn’t explain his Tongan defection to Kidwell, Taumalolo made the stunning admission he feared saying the wrong thing after drinking too much following the Cowboys’ NRL grand final loss to Melbourne.

“Half the reason I didn’t contact him was because I was still blind on Mad Monday,” Taumalolo said.

“That didn’t help.”