Wycliff Palu
No. 8
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Profile
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Height:
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194cm
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Weight:
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119kg
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Date Of Birth:
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27/07/1982
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Rugby Career
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Senior Club:
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NSW Waratahs
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Stats
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Test Rugby Caps:
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44
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Test Rugby Debut:
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2006 v England, Melbourne
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Back for the 2012 Spring Tour after an injury to the nerve in his shoulder took him out of the inaugural Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship, Wycliff Palu could be a man to watch during next year’s British & Irish Lions Tour after impressing during a 42-minute stint against the All Blacks on his return.
The four Test caps added by Palu this term sees him start the 2012 Spring Tour just one appearance shy of the 43 played by current NSW Rugby Union president Tim Gavin, who is the second most capped Wallaby No 8.
His injury sequence included a remarkable comeback on the 2009 Spring Tour when Palu was stretchered from the field when Australia played Scotland at Murrayfield, only to return as one of the best on field when the Qantas Wallabies destroyed Wales at Millennium Stadium a week later.
The damaging ball carrier, who provides a talismanic influence in the Australian pack, made his state debut for NSW in 2003, and was introduced to Super Rugby by the Waratahs the year before his maiden Test, which came in 2006. Palu was one of the Waratahs’ iron men – missing just five matches over the three seasons between 2007 and 2010.
Palu won the Matt Burke Cup as the Waratahs’ Player’s Player in 2008, while also finishing as runner-up behind George Smith in the voting for that year’s John Eales Medal.