Standing at 195 centimetres and tipping the scales at 120 kilograms, most people would judge Taqele Naiyaravoro to be a valuable addition to any rugby league team in the NRL.

But the Wests Tigers didn’t seem to think so.

It was obvious the big man on the wing had skill – his now trademark Jonah Lomu-like runs made him a prolific try scorer in the NSW Cup, with 23 tries in 15 games.

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But for some reason the Tigers let him waste away in reserve grade. Sure he was behind established NRL wingers Pat Richards and David Nofoaluma, but the club never gave Naiyaravoro a taste of first grade or try to convince him to stay when Michael Cheika came knocking with an offer.

And he’s not the first Fijian winger Wests have shown the door, only for them to explode into superstardom at another team (looking at you Marika Koroibete).

The Tigers’ loss was the Waratahs’ gain.

With only 20 Super Rugby games to his name (including five games in 2014 where he played less than a total of 80 minutes), Naiyaravoro has cracked the Wallabies’ squad.

The tank on the flank, known to his teammates as simply ‘T’ has amassed 43 tackle busts this season and become one of the Tahs’ most deadly finishers, leading the team in tries scored with eight.

At only 23 and with one full season of Super Rugby under his belt, Naiyaravoro has the world at his feet.



Now Naiyaravoro has a big decision to make about his future – does he stay with the Waratahs or go to Scotland on a big money contract.

I’m no psychic, but the tears of joy Naiyaravoro shed when he found out he in the Wallabies squad makes it pretty clear where he wants to be.

But you don’t need to be a psychic to know Wests Tigers are kicking themselves for letting such a talented player slip through their fingers.