Wallaby prop opens up on dark times during recovery

The Queensland Reds behemoth suffered a potentially career-ending injury against Ireland last November when he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Given the severity of the injury, the Rugby World Cup being just ten months away and being the final year of his contract, the 27-year-old thought he had missed his chance to feature at the global showpiece.

During the long and arduous rehabilitation process, Tupou even questioned his place in the sport.

But Tupou endured and he now finds himself on the cusp of running out for Australia once again when they face old rivals New Zealand in Bledisloe I on Saturday.

"When I did my Achilles last year I thought the worst," the prop told AAP.

"I was in the last year of my contract, I thought I was going to miss World Cup, just everything you know - I was in a very dark place.

"The last eight to nine months has been tough, to do all the rehab. There was a time where I really thought about my future in footy. It was just mentally hard."

But it wasn't just his Achilles that healed. During the process, Tupou learned to speak up about his issues, which lead to him developing mental fortitude.

"Before, I was one of those guys where speaking up was not an option... but you find out you're not weak in speaking up," added Tupou.

"So I had to learn the new skill of talking or speaking up when I needed to. I find it really helpful, just knowing that someone knows what you're going through. Every now and then they come and check on you and it feels good.

"I'm here now and I couldn't be any happier - I'm just grateful I'm here in this position and I'm grateful I™m back in the team."