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HUDDERSFIELD - New Zealand winger Tame Tupou hopes the first rugby league test against Great Britain will mark the start of a productive partnership for both club and country.
Tupou will form the Kiwis' right-side attack in Huddersfield on Sunday morning (NZT) with centre Shontayne Hape, a teammate
at English side Bradford Bulls.
After being released by Brisbane Broncos earlier this year, Tupou was signed by Bradford as the long-term replacement for former Kiwi Lesley Vainikolo, who switched codes to join Gloucester rugby after a glittering spell with the Bulls.
But although Tupou has been at Bradford since June, he has played alongside Hape just twice as Hape only returned from a knee injury last month.
Now the Bulls pair, who are both 25, have a chance to develop their partnership with the national team and make the Kiwis' right their own ahead of next year's World Cup.
Hape has 12 test caps and has now spent five years in Super League, so Tupou is glad to have him around and feels they are building a good relationship - both on and off the field.
"It was good to play with him the last couple of games at Bradford and playing with him in an international will be a huge bonus," said Tupou.
"He's played more internationals than me and he knows more about the Great Britain players because he's been here longer, so he's been telling me the sort of lines that he runs, what he wants me to do and what he expects our opponents to do.
"We're still getting used to each other and learning each other's game," he added.
"He's staying in the next room, and he usually comes over and steals some food from the mini-bar, so I probably see him more than anyone else.
"We're getting the communication right off the field, and when that happens, I think a lot of things will come together on it."
Tupou, a late callup to the Kiwis after Luke Covell, David Kidwell, Krisnan Inu and Steve Matai were ruled out, will make his fourth test appearance after making his debut in last year's Anzac test.
The 1.96m winger was in sensational form in 2006, finishing as Brisbane's joint-top try scorer with Darren Lockyer, but was named as 18th man for their Grand Final victory over Melbourne.
Tupou was dropped to the Queensland Cup at the start of the season but feels he is getting back to his best after being given a fresh start at Bradford, scoring 10 tries in 12 appearances for the Bulls.
"I probably had a month off football at Brisbane and the training I did wasn't intense," he said.
"So I really wanted to get back into it with Bradford and my first game was really exciting.
"I've been picking up bits and pieces and I think I'm slowly getting there."
Tupou was reunited with Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett after being selected for the All Golds in the Centenary International but there were no hard feelings.
"Even before I left the club we had a chat and it was all good so I was excited to see him again," said Tupou.
Tupou is expecting the British to play an expansive game, which could play into his and Hape's hands.
"They play exciting football over here and take a lot of risks," he said.
"They're more experienced than us and all know each other really well. I think they'll be looking to throw the ball around again so we'll have to be on our game."
- NZPA