'Tongan Thor' to play across the Tasman

The schoolboy rugby sensation nicknamed Tongan Thor is ditching New Zealand to continue his rugby across the Tasman when he finishes school later this year.

Taniela Tupou was to have signed a loyalty agreement with the New Zealand Rugby Union over the weekend to become eligible for the NZ Schoolboys side.

He told the Herald he received a copy of the agreement "about a month ago" but the deadline for the 135kg prop's signature had now passed.

"If I signed it I wouldn't be able to go to Australia," he said.

Talent scouts believe the Sacred Heart boarder has what it takes to become a household name over the next few years.

Despite living in New Zealand since 2010, the Nuku'alofa-raised Tupou grew up idolising the Wallabies, probably because the team included Tongan stars like flanker George Smith and the Kefu brothers.

Foxsports.com.au reported that the 18-year-old remains eligible for any country because he has not played for any representative team that would lock him in to one nation's system under the laws of World Rugby.

But Australia appears to be the front-runner with Tupou telling the Herald he had a brother and sister who lived there and his heart told him he should move there.

The 18-year-old became an internet sensation after exploits of him terrorising other secondary school teams with his barnstorming runs became popular on Youtube.

Often likened to Jonah Lomu at his rampaging best, his on-field efforts piqued the interest of a number of clubs in the UK, France, Japan and both here and in Australia.

Tupou told the Herald in July that although he would take the chance to play for New Zealand in a second he was starting to look at options in Australia. At the time he had not been contacted by the NZRU to talk about his eligibility.

"If I have the chance to play for the All Blacks, I'll take it. If I can't make the All Blacks and I can't make the Wallabies, then maybe I'll play for the other one -- [Tongan national rugby team] Ikale Tahi."