THE bullocking power of young Reds forward Lukhan Tui may be the next backrow experiment from Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.

Tui’s appetite to run and skittle defenders is winning fans who see broader potential than simply plugging him in as another lock contender.

At 119kg and 1.98m, he’s framed the same as South Africa’s 2007 World Cup-winner Danie Rossouw, often a bludgeoning supersub who mixed blindside flanker and No.8 with lock duties.

Cheika is upbeat at the tight, high workrate game of Ned Hanigan in his seven-Test run at No.6 but he does come without the hammer power of an All Black like Jerome Kaino.

“I think it’s been a good (backrow) balance with Hanigan, Sean (McMahon) playing as a bit of a hybrid player, and Michael (Hooper),” Cheika said after last weekend’s win over Argentina.

“Ned’s gone great ... I want to make sure I say that because he’s played (seven) Tests in a row and he wasn’t even in a starting team for Super Rugby at the beginning of the season.”

Tui turns 21 on Tuesday but is already demonstrating a more varied skillset than Melbourne No.8-lock Lopeti Timani.

Tui has better hands, he backed up backs for two Reds tries this year, and he’s taken that rugby league relish for hit-ups from his teenage days in Sydney into his rugby.

Lukhan Tui scoring a try for the Queensland Reds. Picture: AAP Source: AAP

For Brisbane City last Sunday, he hammered ahead 13 times and barged over for a try against the Canberra Vikings in the 42-40 win at St Lucia.

He still runs too upright – staggering considering the times he’s been told to torpedo ahead instead – but the raw material is there.

Specialist backrower Adam Korczyk and Tui are both contenders for the squad to be named this week for the tour of South Africa and Argentina.

“I think Korczyk is coming along very nicely and we may also look at even Lukhan Tui having a bit of a run there (at blindside flanker),” Cheika said.

“He’s been practising a bit there.”

Cheika has blooded five backrowers among the 23 Wallabies debuts he created over the past 15 months so his mind is open to new bench options.

Tui’s minor knee clean-up in late June has been a real positive.

“Instead of feeling it for a few days after games, it’s clear and I do feel I can do more,” Tui said.

■ THE women’s sevens boom has spawned the inaugural Girls’ Queensland Rugby Sevens Championships starting tomorrow at Logan City Rugby Union Club for 144 girls from 12 teams.