Rookie Tui overtakes Simmons, Douglas

First he took their Super Rugby spots, now boom lock Lukhan Tui has kept Reds teammates Rob Simmons and Kane Douglas out of the Wallabies squad.

Lukhan Tui

First he took their Super Rugby spots, now Lukhan Tui has kept Reds teammates out of the Wallabies. (AAP)

Lukhan Tui's penchant for the "rough stuff" has catapulted him into Wallabies reckoning and coach Michael Cheika has urged snubbed second-rowers Rob Simmons and Kane Douglas to follow his lead.

Tui only started playing rugby union three years ago but the 20-year-old now finds himself on the cusp of a Wallabies debut after his inclusion in Cheika's squad for next month's Tests against Fiji, Scotland and Wales.

Of the eight uncapped players named, Auckland-born Tui is by far the biggest bolter.

Not only has he leapfrogged out-of-form teammates Simmons and Douglas to become a regular Super Rugby starter after just 11 games, he has also kept them out of the Test squad.

Cheika admitted Tui, who moved to Sydney at a young age and played junior rugby league with the Western Suburbs Magpies, was not even on his watchlist until recently.

"He's raw, but one of the differentiating factors for me around that is the impact he's making in games," he said.

"He's getting contact impact, he likes to be in the battle from a contact point of view, he's prepared to work hard.

"You see him popping up the sides which means his support play is good.

"And he doesn't mind getting into the rough stuff a little bit. That's impressed us."

Simmons and Douglas both started in the 2015 World Cup final but only 12 members of Australia's line-up for that tournament have been retained in Cheika's latest grouping.

But he said neither has been playing well enough - or in Douglas' case, often enough - to justify Test selection.

"As disappointed as he's going to be, (Simmons) understands," Cheika said.

"I know that he could be one of the best locks going around when he brings that type of impact and aggression for the game that I know he can do when he gets angry.

"That's something that I'll be looking for him to bring to his game. He's brought it inconsistently this year and he's mature enough now to bring it consistently."

Cheika moved heaven and earth to get Douglas out of his contract with Irish club Leinster two years ago to facilitate a return to Australian rugby.

"I need to have a chat with him and talk about exactly how we're going to get him back on the radar because he's a fine player who's given a lot for me as a coach, in particular," Cheika said.

"I want him back in form."


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Source: AAP



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