Tahu happy with life in Union

Former Rugby League star Timana Tahu has said he has no regrets about his switch to Rugby Union, revealing he had wanted to swap codes four years ago.

Former Rugby League star Timana Tahu has said he has no regrets about his switch to Rugby Union, revealing he had wanted to swap codes four years ago.

Tahu has had a near-perfect debut season in the fifteen man game, despite missing a large chunk of the Super 14 season with an injury. The Waratahs back still did enough to earn a place in Phil Mooney's Australia A squad, where he has been a mainstay in the Pacific Nations Cup.

Further to that Tahu, who won five caps for Australia's Rugby League side, has since labelled his former code as 'boring'.

But the ex-Newcastle and Parramatta back confessed that Rugby Union was at the forefront of his thoughts as far back as 2004 when he was a regular member of Australian and NSW league teams.

Even as State of Origin fever grips New South Wales and Queensland, Tahu denied he felt any pangs of doubt about his conversion.

“I'm over rugby league,” he told Fox Sports.

“As soon as I got the chance to talk to Ewen McKenzie and the Waratahs, the first thing on my mind was to get out of Rugby League.

“I achieved a lot of things in Rugby League, which I was grateful for doing, but for the last three years, four years it was Rugby Union and I wanted to come over and there were no regrets.”

Tahu has revealed that he wants to follow in the footsteps of over successful converts such as Lote Tuqiri, Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor.

Tuqiri, Sailor and Rogers all earned Australian honours in their first season after leaving League to boost their profiles and Tahu could also see the immense benefits of a successful conversion.

“It's not a League v Union thing,” he said.

“I was achieving what I wanted to achieve in Rugby League and I was looking for greater challenges and I saw other opportunities in rugby union.”

Having featured on the wing for the Waratahs this season Tahu has shifted to inside centre for Australia A, turning in an impressive display in the 90-7 victory over Tonga last week.

With games against Fiji and New Zealand Maori still to come Tahu is expecting a far tougher test of his abilities over the next ten days.

“For the first 20 minutes against Tonga, it was a little bit tough but they just dropped off and they played terrible,” he said.

“If you play good against a side that you flog about 90-nil, it doesn't really mean much.

“This will be the test for me – Fiji and the Maori game – to see how I'm going. This Sunday will be a lot tougher and the scores will be a lot closer.”

With Wallaby coach Robbie Deans hinting that Tahu could make it as a Test centre the Waratahs man is focusing on that position as he continues to refine his skills and understanding of the game.

“The things I was doing were more structured, now I just go out and play football,” he said.

“I feel better at twelve. I'm not a bloke who can finish tries like I used to when I was younger.

“I think it's more trying to create holes for the fast wingers and them finishing it off.”