Polota-Nau returns to Waratahs on loan

WALLABIES hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has answered an SOS call from Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson and returned to Australia to play Super Rugby after the Leicester Tigers agreed a short-term loan agreement.

Polota-Nau has been drafted in due to injury to Sham Vui. First-choice hooker Tolu Latu has also been sidelined due to a six-week ban for dangerous play and is not eligible to play again until 27 April.

The 33-year-old Polota-Nau had not been playing regularly for Leicester in the English Premiership and the Waratahs said the Tigers had agreed to the deal to keep him match fit.

“We needed to look at who could immediately slot into the Super Rugby level competition and was a good fit with our squad,” Gibson said. “Tatafu fits the bill. From a timing perspective it worked well with the Leicester Tigers calendar and we are currently finalising the paperwork.”

Leicester have not qualified for the knockout phases of European club competition and have just three Premiership fixtures in the next month, against Sale on Friday, Northampton on 22 March and Exeter on 6 April. Polota-Nau has won 89 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2005 and played more than 140 Super Rugby games for the Waratahs and Western Force.

While he qualified for the national side under the “Giteau law”, which allowed him to be selected for the Wallabies despite playing overseas, the agreement would allow him to play in front of national coach Michael Cheika. | AUSTRALIA’S national women’s captain Liz Patu has been suspended for six weeks after pleading guilty to biting an opponent during a Super W game, Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) said.

Patu faced a Rugby Australia disciplinary hearing yesterday after being accused of biting her Wallaroos team mate Rebecca Clough at the weekend.

“Following the hearing, Judicial Officer Chris Newton issued Patu with a suspension of six weeks after she had entered a plea of guilty to the offence,”