Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu thought a drink driving episode had ruined his Rugby World Cup hopes, tracing his remarkable four-month turnaround to a blunt conversation with coach Michael Cheika.
Latu has risen to starting team status in a fast-moving rags to riches story, with the next chapter coming in a starting role against Fiji in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup pool match.
It is a world away from the 26-year-old’s ejection from a Wallabies training camp in the wake of his drunken midweek indiscretion which attracted a police charge.
He failed to inform Waratahs management and was given a short, sharp message by Australian coach Cheika, who rates the powerful front-rower highly but wouldn’t condone a repeat offence.
“I remember talking to Michael at the camp just before I got sent home and he just said to get my stuff sorted and if I do get another opportunity, make sure I take up that opportunity and make the most of it,” he said.
“At the time, I didn’t think I would be here in this position and I’m truly grateful and thankful for the opportunity.”
Latu admits he has also had on-field demons to address and thinks he has overcome them.
Aggression got him into trouble more than once at Test and Super Rugby level as his reputation for yellow cards and suspensions prompted opponents to goad him into acts of ill-discipline.
There has been no repeat since being recalled to the Wallabies, including two Bledisloe Cup starts.
“Whether you think you’re right, the ref is always right so it’s been a part of my game that I’ve been trying to work on from the back end of last year,” he said.
Prop Scott Sio, who will start alongside Latu at the Sapporo Dome, said it was obvious his teammate had addressed issues on and off the park and emerged a better player for it.
“His journey wasn’t the one we all like to read in books and so forth but he is where he is today because he’s worked extremely hard to put himself in this position,” Sio said.
“Credit to him. He understands that it’s a daily process, he needs to keep working to make himself better. We’ve definitely noticed that and I’m pretty excited to run alongside him this weekend.”