Taniela Tupou feared he might have copped a "hiding" from assistant coach Laurie Fisher if Australia had fallen to Argentina last weekend.
Instead, the 62-Test tighthead prop finds himself four games deep in a winning return to the Wallabies and wanting more.
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Tupou, 29, was heavily scrutinised for his 2025 Super Rugby Pacific form but has been a tour de force since being recalled for the Third Test against the British & Irish Lions.
Victories over the Lions, Springboks and Los Pumas have followed and Tupou says he's relishing every moment in gold before his Top 14 journey begins - barring the pair of no-arm tackles that earned the wrath of captain Harry Wilson in Townsville.
"It wasn't the start we were looking for, gave away those two penalties and gave the Argies six points up. I was quite nervous there," Tupou told reporters on Tuesday.
"We got lucky at the end, otherwise Joe would have told me to go home maybe. Can't afford to have that this weekend.
If I'm in the team I'm definitely going to wrap those arms when they make those tackles otherwise 'Lordie' will give me a hiding.
"Obviously the last couple of months have been challenging for me but I'm grateful for the opportunity to be back and playing and wearing the gold jersey.
"I started in that third game, got lucky there - obviously a few of ours got injured - but it gave me the opportunity to get back in the gold jersey and I've been enjoying it. Hopefully there's more to come before I’m over to France.
"Each year you get older and you just know there's guys coming up fighting for the jersey. You just never know when it's your last one so every opportunity is just as important for you.
"My contract finishes in November or December. When that's finished, I'll head over there. I'll be keen to do Spring Tour. If I do that, then I'll end up staying there after Spring Tour."
Tupou's powerful scrummaging has been a pillar of the Wallabies' Rugby Championship so far with Australia more than holding its own across three Tests against South Africa and Argentina.
Wallabies assistant coach Mike Cron once described Tupou as the "most explosive prop" he's ever worked with and Tupou was quick to credit the departing scrum doctor, who will farewell Joe Schmidt's team following the Bledisloe Cup.
"He's been really, really good for me. We've sat back a few times and watched some of my scrum and how I do things in the scrum," Tupou said of Cron.
"Some things I do, I'm able to get away with because of my strength but I realise at times I'm working too hard.
"I'm wasting a lot of energy because I'm trying to do things on my own in the scrum, so having 'Cronno' there, he helped me realise that I don't have to do it on my own and I can do it as an eight.
"I've done a lot of work with 'Cronno' staying square and I think I've done that really well in the last few weeks. I know all the refs are looking for me going in so just trying to paint that perfect picture at the start and if I can sneak in going into the second half, I can (laughs).
"He's been really good. I've enjoyed working with him. I'm trying to learn as much as I can off him before he finishes up with us."
Wallabies teammate Tate McDermott said Tupou's return to form had coincided with his returning sense of humour and love for the game.
"His laughs are contagious but when he's playing his footy like he has been this Test season, it's been great," McDermott told reporters.
Obviously, I've seen 'Nela' at his best. I've played against 'Nela' the last couple of years and when he's smiling and he's joking around, he's playing his best footy.
"He's been training well as well. It's great to have him here and in good form."
