Wallaby rugby legend David Campese, who has made a sport out of picking holes in Wendell Sailor since his high-profile switch from rugby league, is now gunning for the Australian Rugby Union's (ARU) latest recruit, Sailor's former team-mate Lote Tuqiri.
The 22-year-old Fijian-born wing ended weeks of speculation when he confirmed yesterday he was leaving the Brisbane Broncos at the end of the National Rugby League (NRL) season in a bid to play a part in the Wallabies defence of the World Cup here next year.
His switch, while widely predicted, prompted Campese to fire a broadside at the ARU, claiming the organisation was "wasting money" by acquiring a player who had never taken the game seriously.
"Why buy the guy?" the only Wallabies player to win 100-caps said
"They'll have six months to turn him into a World Cup player and even (Mat) Rogers says he's struggling at times, and he played rugby as a schoolboy."
Tuqiri signed a two-year deal that will earn him an estimated A$375,000 ($437,000) annually plus A$10,000 for each test appearance.
He is in negotiations with Australia's three Super 12 franchises, with the Waratahs understood to be front-runners to snare the Kangaroos and Queensland State of Origin star.
Campese said he was mystified that the ARU needed Tuqiri after poaching Sailor and Rogers last year.
"I don't understand it. He'll play rugby league to the end of the year, then join a Super 12 franchise and have to start learning a new code from scratch," Campese said.
"After that he has to play in the Super 12 and to a standard high enough to warrant a spot at the World Cup."
Campese has been highly critical of wing Sailor's swift passage into the Wallabies saying his positional and defensive play was not up to international standard in matches against New Zealand Maori and France this year.
He was happier with utility Rogers, saying he was a great prospect in the midfield or as back-up to pivot Stephen Larkham.
Tuqiri has been earmarked as a potential fullback or centre in the 15-man code.
- NZPA
Wallaby legend slams ARU over latest rugby recruit
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