Palu re-joins ‘Tahs, targets Wallabies

Editor

Waratahs number eight Wycliff Palu is hungry as ever to play for Australia as he gears up for a new Super Rugby campaign after re-joining the Waratahs.

The veteran forward had his World Cup cut short by a serious hamstring injury against Uruguay that not only prevented him from playing in the rest of the tournament, but also forced him to cancel his stint in Japan with Toyota Verblitz.

Palu is now back in training and has signed a one-year deal with the ARU and Waratahs to give Super Rugby another crack, hoping to add to his 2014 winners' medal.

“If I play well enough, I’m just the same as anyone else that’s playing Super Rugby in Australia,” Palu told Fox Sports.

“It comes down to form and I’m working hard just to get into the Waratahs setup. I had a bit of a late start to the pre-season so I’m a bit behind the eight ball at the moment.

“It’s not like I’m coming back to prove anything, I’m just here to help out the side really.

“I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason. It’s not by bad luck or chance that I’m here again. I guess I’ve been pulled here for a reason and I guess that’s to help the team out.”

Palu will be working with new Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson after the departure of Cheika, and the 33-year-old believes that Gibson is leaving his mark on the side.

"We’ve got a young side and a different coaching setup so it’s pretty exciting,” Palu added.

“We’ve got the same kind of principles, we still want to play attacking rugby, we’re still working quite hard.

“But Daz is putting his own stamp on the team. He’s not as vocal as Cheik but he still gets his message across.”