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Tolu Latu has vowed to find the consistency to make him the Wallabies' first-choice hooker less than a year before the start of the Rugby World Cup.
Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu has vowed to find the consistency needed to be first choice in Michael Cheika's World Cup side next year.
Latu has endured a roller-coaster 2018 in which he started the season playing club rugby and ended with him earning his making his first Test start in two years against Wales in Cardiff.
The 25-year-old firebrand is well regarded by the Wallabies' coaching staff but has struggled to keep his cool in matches, being sin-binned twice this season.
His throwing in the lineout was much improved at the Principality Stadium although he chose an inopportune moment to surrender a turnover, with the Wales pinching the ball less than 10m from their line.
But with less than a year before the start of the Rugby World Cup, the hooking role is far from decided, with Tatafu Polota-Nau, Folau Fainga'a, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and the injured Jordan Uelese still in contention.
"I probably let the team down in a couple of areas in the game. That last throw was a crucial throw for myself and the team," Latu said.
"We were in an awesome position to get points and we didn't get the ball back."
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has been a strong supporter of Latu, who he gave a Super Rugby debut for NSW Waratahs in 2014 and has told him not to lose his abrasive streak despite yellow cards against Argentina and New Zealand last month.
It's this aspect that saw him struggle for game time for the first half of the year but Latu said being axed by Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson for not being fit was the wake-up call he needed.
"It's probably tested my character and how I can keep moving along and the way I deal with things instead of just giving up," Latu said.
"In pre-season, I needed to pull my head in a bit earlier and get my head around getting fit before going in for pre-season.
"The biggest thing is watching what I put in my mouth ... and that can be hard when you have family who take offence to you not eating.
"It's just about finding that balance that I am not going to be too heavy when I come back to pre-season."
