Wallabies’ new jack of all trades

LUKHAN Tui is the shock wildcard for the Wallabies back-row on Saturday after a surprise cameo in second grade packing down with labourers, market workers and students.

Australian coach Michael Cheika’s concern over a lack of lineout options in his back-row mix to face Ireland at Suncorp Stadium forced him to press for Tui’s extra game time.

It is just that no one really expected a full-time professional of 119kg and 198cm would be directed by the Queensland Rugby Union to play lower-grade rugby.

Souths were instructed that lock Tui, 21, was available for 40 minutes and should play at blindside flanker, Cheika’s problem spot against the Irish.

With Souths’ top-grade team on a bye, Tui trampled into shape during the 54-5 thumping of lowly Logan City in front of a few hundred fans in Brisbane last Saturday.

It’s a world removed from facing the top pack in Europe in front of 40,000-plus fans on Saturday night or the RedsWaratahs clash he wasn’t picked for last Saturday night.

“Lukhan is big, aggressive and what you need to play a big Irish pack ... he’s fit and good to go for the Test,” said Souths coach Elia Tuqiri, a former NSW Waratah.

– JIM TUCKER