NOT that many weeks ago, Timana Tahu wondered whether it had been worth all the drama of crossing codes.

The former rugby league international had faced the indignity of being told he had to have an enforced rest from the Waratahs because of lingering hamstring problems - even to the extent where NSW officials said he had to re-learn how to run.

Tahu's rugby career appeared to have stalled before it had gained any form of momentum.

When announced in the Wallabies' Test squad for the first time yesterday as part of the reserves bench for Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup match at ANZ Stadium, Tahu cast his mind back to those dreadful weeks, and explained how grateful he was that new Australian coach Robbie Deans wanted to turn it all around for him.

"I hit rock bottom during the Waratahs season," Tahu said. "I was second-guessing, and wondering whether I was good enough to play rugby. The Super 14 season was over and I didn't get a chance to prove myself."

But the transformation occurred when he was given a chance in the Australia A team, with Deans instrumental in him being tried in a new position, inside-centre. Tahu bloomed during the A team's Pacific Nations Cup campaign, enabling him to force his way into the Tri Nations squad. The exit of Stirling Mortlock through injury opened the door for Tahu to take Ryan Cross's reserves spot. "Being picked for Australia A was like a second chance at seeing if I was actually good enough," Tahu said. "And playing No.12 suits my game, particularly as it is similar in the way I played when I was in league. That means being aggressive, and trying to get your hands on the ball as much as you can. If you play No.13 you have to be smarter, and that may hurt my game, because being confrontational and with people running at you, you can often be set in two minds."

Deans believed the Australia A program enlivened Tahu. "He's just had a consistency of game time, which he wasn't able to have during the Super 14," Deans said. "And he's shown with that, plus his greater involvement at inside-centre has helped him to settle. He's responded to that."

Tahu will seek guidance from fellow former league star Lote Tuqiri in the lead-up to his first Bledisloe Cup appearance. Tahu and Tuqiri are often seen in each other's company, even at training.

"We always talk a lot," Tahu said. "Lote is very supportive of me. You can see sometimes that when I don't understand something [at training], he will come straight over and ask me: 'Do you understand that?' Then we will go through the plays and so forth together. He does make me feel more comfortable."

- Wellington: Former All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder has been appointed coach of Super 14 champions, Canterbury Crusaders, Reuters reports.

The 36-year-old, a member of the inaugural Crusaders side in 1996, replaces Deans.