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Timana James Aporo Tahu (born 16 October 1980) is an Australian former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He last played for Denver Stampede in the US PRO Rugby competition. A dual-code international representative three-quarter back for Australia's Kangaroos and then the Wallabies, he could also play and played for New South Wales in State of Origin. Tahu started his career in the National Rugby League for the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won the 2001 NRL Premiership before moving to the Parramatta Eels. He then played for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition. Tahu returned to the NRL with the Eels and then the Penrith Panthers before finishing his NRL career where it started with the Newcastle Knights.
Tahu and his partner Kasey have three children. They met while young; their oldest child was born when he was 18.
Tahu played in the Knights 2001 premiership side, scoring a try that cemented the victory as Newcastle defeated Parramatta 30–24. The grand final victory has been described as one of the greatest grand final upsets as Parramatta went into the game as raging hot favourites and had only lost 4 games all season. Tahu scored 82 tries in 97 games during his first spell with the club.
On 20 March 2007, Tahu announced he would be switching codes to rugby union join the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby from the 2008 season. Tahu's contract with Parramatta ended at the end of the 2007 NRL season after three seasons in the Eels. The contract with the Waratahs was expected to be a four-year deal.
On 19 December 2007, Tahu agreed to a four-year contract with Shute Shield club, West Harbour. He joined fellow League convert Lote Tuqiri at the club.
In Tahu's final game in the NRL, he was put on report for a head slam on Melbourne Storm player Israel Folau. He received a two-match suspension, and although his rugby league career was over this suspension still carried across into rugby union.
On 26 January 2008, Tahu played his first game of rugby union. The game was a trial match between the NSW Waratahs and the Queensland Reds, which the Waratahs won 26–10.
Tahu made his debut performance in the Super 14 competition in the Waratahs clash with the Wellington Hurricanes on 16 February 2008.
On 7 July 2008, Tahu was named in the 30 man Wallabies squad for the Tri-Nations series.
On 26 July, Tahu made his first appearance as a substitute for the Wallabies against New Zealand in the Tri-Nations. Despite only coming on towards the end of the game, Tahu effectively made himself Australia's 46th Dual-International. Tahu earned a further cap against South Africa in Johannesburg in a starting role only for the Wallabies to be defeated 53–8.
In 2010, Tahu earned a recall to the New South Wales State of Origin team and was involved in a race-related incident with assistant coach Andrew Johns. In New South Wales Blues training, Johns reportedly called Greg Inglis "a black cunt". Tahu withdrew in protest from the New South Wales Origin team. It is believed Johns made the racial slur at a team bonding session. Johns was reported as telling centre Beau Scott he needed to stop Greg Inglis, and made a racial reference to the Maroons Aboriginal star. Tahu's mother is Aboriginal.
Tahu ended his season by playing for the New Zealand Māori against England.
After the tumultuous 2010 season, Tahu requested an extended break from the Eels pre-season training, hoping to return in January 2011. New coach Stephen Kearney denied the request and Tahu was released from his contract. After a period where it seemed possible Tahu would not return to the NRL, Tahu was signed by the Penrith Panthers. Tahu played just 7 games for the Panthers in 2011 before a torn pectoral muscle ended his season. Only a week later it was announced Tahu would be returning to his original club, the Newcastle Knights on a 2-year contract starting from 2012. On 6 September 2013, Tahu re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.
Tahu's last game was in Round 26 of the 2014 NRL season, where he came off the bench into the centres for an injured Joseph Leilua. He scored two tries.
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