Wayward Tuqiri promises to behave

SYDNEY - Fiery Wallabies wing Lote Tuqiri has vowed to keep his emotions in check should he make his run-on debut against the All Blacks in Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup Tri-Nations test in Sydney.

Providing Tuqiri recovers from a slight hamstring strain, he will replace the injured Joe Roff at Telstra Stadium.

The Fijian-born league convert has more than his leg to worry about in the lead-up to his biggest test, with the Wallabies management concerned about his fragile temperament.

Tuqiri's discipline has been questioned after he received a third yellow card this season for punching South African prop Robbie Kempson in the Tri-Nations opener in Cape Town last weekend.

An Australian Rugby Union disciplinary committee cleared Tuqiri of any further penalty, but he has been cautioned by coach Eddie Jones, who said another incident could rule him out of an important match in the months ahead.

"I've obviously been warned if anything like that happens again, they'll come down hard on me," Tuqiri told the Sunday Telegraph.

The 23-year-old denied his on-field demeanour had changed since switching from league last year, although a four-year NRL career featured just a one-week suspension.

"There's probably a lot more you can get away with in league. Some of the referees in rugby have it in for you."

Tuqiri claimed he had been victimised in the Super 12.

"My first yellow card in Bloemfontein [his second game of top-class rugby] was just a reaction to the bloke who stepped inside me. He didn't even get hurt - it wasn't a yellow card offence."

A "bit of a niggle in backplay" preceded a rabbit punch on Kempson, who seems a trouble magnet considering All Blacks prop Kees Meeuws was sinbinned yesterday for elbowing him in retaliation.

Tuqiri denied he had become an "angry man" since his code switch, but accepted he might be trying too hard.

"I've got to watch myself. I should tape my fingers straight instead of clenching them.

"Last weekend the [Cape Town] crowd were giving us plenty of stick while we were sitting on the bench.

"That pumped me up and I probably came on a bit too pumped up."

Tuqiri will encounter friendlier surroundings on Saturday night in Sydney.

- NZPA