“Obviously, it’s hard. Since I’ve been at the Wallabies, the only reason [I haven’t been selected in the past] is because of injuries, and to get dropped for Lions would be tough. But at least I know the reason, you know?” Tupou is often the last player to leave Waratahs training, staying behind to do extra work in analysis to unearth the answer to his drop in form. So far, there is no eureka moment. The Wallabies prop has dropped nearly 10kg this season thanks to a dedicated program with Waratahs assistant coach Tom Carter and speaks glowingly of the support and care he has received from head coach Dan McKellar. At the start of the season, Tupou arrived in Sydney on a $1 million-a-year contract from Melbourne after the Rebels folded, unsure of what to make of a city he associated with stress and traffic jams. But he and his young family love their new lifestyle and the friends they have made. Everything in Tupou’s life is working perfectly, apart from his day job. “I really think it’s mental, because the performance is not there and I start to second-guess myself, and start asking questions. ‘Can I do this? Is this for me?’ Or, ‘am I good?’ You start playing in your head,” Tupou said.