Wallabies keep two more big guns

The Australian Rugby Union has managed to retain the services of two another two key forwards – hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and loose forward Wycliff Palu.

The duo have re-signed with the ARU and Waratahs through to the 2015 World Cup.

Polota-Nau, 27, signed for a further three years, while Palu, 30, committed for another two, the ARU said.

Polota-Nau, who has 44 Test caps, is out of next month's three-Test series against the touring British and Irish Lions after breaking his arm playing for the Waratahs.

He said he hopes to return for the Waratahs before the end of the Super Rugby season and press for Wallabies selection in the Rugby Championship, starting against the All Blacks in Sydney on August 17.

Palu, a powerful No.8, has rejected off-shore playing opportunities to earmark a third World Cup with the Wallabies in England in 2015.

One of only seven players to have featured in excess of 100 state games for the NSW Waratahs, Polota Nau is also closing in on 50 appearances for the Wallabies.

The 'face' of the game in Sydney's west; Polota Nau said he is happy to have his future resolved.

"Unfinished business," Polota-Nau said, when asked of his motives for rejecting overseas overtures in order to remain in Australia.

"I'd like to earn the right to win a few trophies. The Bledisloe Cup in particular. New Zealand has had that for far too long and I'd like to be around to help Australia get it back."

Polota Nau acknowledged that attending another World Cup was also in his mind, as was the pursuit of a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs.

"They are all things you can't achieve if you are not in Australia," he said.

Although he made his Test debut in 2005 – a year before he first appeared in Super Rugby – the 2005 IRB Under-21 Player of the Year didn't finally establish himself as a regular Test figure until 2008, having played only three matches prior to that point.

He didn't feature in Australia's squad at the 2007 World Cup, but made the team four years later, when Australia finished third in New Zealand.

A product of Granville High School in Sydney's west, Polota Nau co-captained Australian Schools within two years of taking up the game.

He has subsequently been closely identified with the Parramatta club, having served as a member of the board at the Two Blues. He was named Parramatta Sport's Person of the Year two years ago.

Palu also turned his back on off-shore opportunities in a bid to feature at his third World Cup when the Wallabies head to England in 2015.

In recommitting, Palu has also signed on for an additional two-years with the Waratahs in Super Rugby, allowing him to continue with the quest for a maiden title after appearing in the NSW sides which lost the 2005 and 2008 finals to the Robbie Deans-coached Crusaders.

"I'm happy to get the contract negotiations out of the way, and my playing future sorted," Palu said.

"Playing for the Wallabies and the Waratahs has meant a lot to me. Neither were opportunities that I really wanted to give up, but I was also mindful of the fact through the negotiation process that I can't go on forever."

"I've got two children now, so maximizing my opportunities to secure their future and that of myself and my partner was the main priority, but the Australian Rugby Union and the Waratahs were very understanding of that, and we all got the outcome we were looking for."

Four games away from becoming just the second Australian No.8 to play 50 Tests; Palu played his first Test for the Wallabies against England in 2006, a little over a year after he had taken his first bow in Super Rugby with the Waratahs.

Seven years later, he now sits 11 Test appearances behind Australia's most capped No 8, Toutai Kefu (57), and could surpass the Queenslander this year, with 13 Tests on the Wallabies' agenda.

But for a wretched run with injury, Palu could already has gone beyond Kefu, having lost nearly two seasons of Test play due to knee, shoulder and hamstring injuries.

Palu missed the entire 2010 Test programme after wrecking his knee playing the Crusaders in Christchurch.

A shoulder injury sustained in Super Rugby the following year then put paid to his hopes of featuring in Australia's title-winning Tri-Nations campaign.

Although a sustained rehabilitation programme saw him make it back in time to get to the World Cup in New Zealand, Palu's tournament lasted just two matches before a hamstring strain – suffered during the 67-5 win over the United States in Wellington – forced him to return to Australia.

Even last year was not without its trials: Palu missing the inaugural Rugby Championship due to a nerve injury in his shoulder, although he did play all three of the June Tests against Wales, before returning in time for the final five Tests of the year.

It was indicative of the amount of rugby he had missed that, when he made his return in the final Bledisloe Cup Test of last year at Brisbane, it was the first time Palu had faced New Zealand in three years, having missed the nine trans-Tasman Tests in between.

"It's been frustrating at times, and I've missed a lot more rugby than I would have liked, but it's the nature of playing a contact sport I guess," Palu said.

"That's why it was important to take the time to weigh up both my financial future as well as where I wanted to be, before signing this contract.

"Being forced to watch so often does make you cherish the time you do get in the jersey that little bit more."

Coming towards the end of his ninth consecutive season for the 'Tahs; the decision to remain in Sydney should allow Palu to become just the eighth player, but the third loose forward after Phil Waugh and David Lyons, to appear 100 times in the sky blue.

He currently has 95 state caps (90 in Super Rugby) for NSW.

Schooled at Balgowlah Boys' High School near Sydney's northern beaches, Palu has played all of his club rugby with his local Manly Marlins club, whom he turned out for earlier this year as he worked his way back to full fitness.

The Marlins have been a good contributor to Australian Test sides in the last decade, having also furnished the Wallabies with fellow Test loose forwards George Smith and Michael Hooper.

Should Palu reach 50 Tests this year, he would join a select group to have achieved the feat, with Berrick Barnes the latest entry after raising the milestone against Wales in the final Test of 2012.

Barnes was the 37th player to have featured in 50 Tests, with Brumbies prop Ben Alexander leading the race to become the 38th, starting the year on 48 caps, two in advance of Palu.