In a sign that the Sharks are struggling in the front-row, Taulima Tautai, generally a centre or a second-rower, as been called upon to play prop for the Sharks tonight, but for him, he has no problems in doing so.
“My ears are pretty big mate … even though I’ve played mostly out wide I’ve already got cauliflower ears,” Tautai laughed.
“The boys give me heaps.”
With Luke Douglas out to injury, Sharks coach Shane Flanagana approached him, and asked him about making the transition.
“I had a bit of heads-up it was going to happen,” Tautai said.
“When Dougie went down against Melbourne, I had to play prop and it went OK.
“I remember Ruben going from wing to prop during his career, but he basically played the same style the whole way through.
“He just ran the ball hard and straight and I’ll be aiming to do exactly the same thing.”
Whilst you may think that he is not the appropriate weight to play in the front-row, weighing in at 105kg, he is more than capable of filling in with that role, and matching it with Broncos props Ben Hannant, and Scott Anderson.
“I don’t know if it’s a permanent thing just yet,” Tautai said.
“I think Flanno (Flanagan) wants to see how I go and if I do all right he might leave me there.”