Injury-free Tuqiri farewells rugby union

Rugby league fans can lick their lips in anticipation after Wallabies discard Lote
Tuqiri came through his farewell to the 15-man code unscathed and began preparations
for his dramatic return to the NRL.
Tuqiri played strongly in English side Leicester's 35-19 win over London Irish on
Sunday morning (AEDT) but, more importantly for the Wests Tigers, appeared to finish
his seven-year stint in rugby injury free.
Sacked by the Australian Rugby Union last year after a controversial 67-Test
Wallabies career, Tuqiri is now almost certain to be named by Tigers coach Tim
Sheens for the NRL club's premiership opener against Manly on Monday week.
"Chances are I'll name him on Tuesday and then we'll work back from there," Sheens
told AAP on Sunday.
Tuqiri is expected home midweek and Sheens said he would be checked by club doctors
before a likely first training run with the Tigers on Friday.
The former Brisbane superstar's return will be a massive shot in the arm for the NRL
and the Tigers' marketing machine, but Sheens is wary of the expectations on the
30-year-old.
"We've got a three-year contract and we expect him to work back into his rugby
league rather than jump straight in.
"If he scored early and did well, it's still a long way before he settles back down
into our game, it's been seven years or more.
"At the end of the day he's still got to settle down and get over that hype that
will be around him arriving, let alone getting into the game and playing.
"I don't care who you are, those things can sidetrack you very easily and I'm not
expecting and nor am I asking people to expect the world from him."
Asked if he was relieved Tuqiri had come through his last game of rugby union
uninjured, the coach said: "I'm more relieved that he's on his way back and we can
get on with sorting out our season."
English media lauded Tuqiri for his contribution to rugby union.
"He was banished from Australian rugby union for unspecified naughtiness, his time
at Leicester is up and he now returns to rugby league as one of two players from
that code out of about 90 who managed to step up to union as proper world class
performers," The Times' Stephen Jones wrote.
Tuqiri told media in the UK he would miss the English Premiership.
"My wife and I are both quite sad and it will be tough to leave," The Leicester
Mercury reported him as saying.
"The fact that I was going back home clinched it but Leicester made it very hard.
"It has been really cold and the experience with driving a car in this weather and
clearing the snow and ice off the windows is something that will stay with me.
"I was only here for a short time and I enjoyed the novelty of it. If I was here for
a year or two, I suppose I would quickly get sick of it.
"When I get home, I will get off the plane and go to the beach pretty quickly.
"Despite the weather, I have enjoyed playing here a lot more than I thought I would."