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After it was announced that Brumbies captain Christian Leali’ifano would be leaving Australia for Japan at the end of the year, fans have paid tribute to one of rugby’s most inspiring careers.
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This comes after Leali’ifano led the Brumbies to the Australian Conference in Super Rugby, and a quarter-final berth against the Sharks next week.
The fly-half will join the Top League ahead of the 2020 season, which would end his international career (as he has under 60 caps), which many fans want to see revived after a stellar season with the Canberra-based outfit.
However, it is Lealiifano’s story which is why he has garnered so much respect from the rugby world. Having been diagnosed with leukemia in 2016, the 31-year-old made his comeback the following year during a short stint with Irish province Ulster.
He quickly became a fan-favourite in Ulster, as he has always been at the Brumbies over the past 12 years.
In light of his incredible story, one fan described him as a “classy brave true warrior of a man”, after a career that has been defined by what has happened off the pitch as much as on it.
His scintillating form on the pitch this season has led to many fans wanting a recall to the Wallabies for the 19-cap international. The last of his caps came in 2016 against England, but his form this season certainly warrants a recall from Michael Cheika, with many believing his form is currently better than that of his competitors for a gold jersey, Bernard Foley and Quade Cooper.
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This is what the fans have said about Leali’ifano’s career and form:
Thank you Christian Lealiifano True brumbies legend going to be tough to replace such a classy brave true warrior of a man thank you for all the great times and memories over the many years
— brian brothwell (@brian_elix26) June 17, 2019
A massive team man and deserves all the praise he has received especially with what he has had to overcome. All the best Christian in 2020! ? they can bring the title home this year. https://t.co/Ln3a5E9UR0
— Nadine (@nlm78) June 16, 2019
A legend
— Jeremy Thompson (@jthommo101) June 17, 2019
The guy was a class act on and off the pitch in his short stint at Ulster so I can only imagine his influence in the Brumbies dressing room while his class on the pitch has been abundantly clear this season. Probably sold Ulster to Sam Carter as well so still doing us good turns. https://t.co/Z8Rk4nJisD
— Colin McBride (@colin_a_mcbride) June 16, 2019
Would love to see him at 10 for Wallabies at RWC
— phil peake (@pkfjpeake) June 16, 2019
What kind of world sees Samu, Christian and Rory leaving the country and we blithely talk about Foley, Quade and Skelton as the backbone of the wallabies World Cup campaign. Craziness
— Tony Warren (@TonyWarren1) June 16, 2019
With the Rugby Championship before the World Cup, Cheika has the perfect opportunity to give Leali’ifano another chance for his nation before the World Cup.
For now, the fly-half still has a job to do with the Brumbies, and will hope to extend his time with the club beyond this weekend’s quarter-final.
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Regardless, after the career he has had, he will bow out a legend.
Comments on RugbyPass
Just shows how a hand up can help as long as the invitation is accepted. Good story.
1 Go to commentsKarma is a powerful force
21 Go to commentsFrench players said the same thing to the All Blacks after their pool match in 2011. But the French can back up their s**t talk with action.
67 Go to commentsThe problem is the officiating & changing rulings,& TMOs.Last weekend I saw a 9 penalized for a crooked scrum feed! the last time I saw that rule applied was In about 1975!!!!!!!!.Late or not the incident is history & Australians alleging that Kiwi rugby supporters wear eye patches is a bit rich.Try listening to Australian Commentators.Every new player who has an above average game is suddenly the next great sensation.
21 Go to commentsEvery Irish fan in the stadium celebrated like they had won the tournament after the SA and Scotland games so yeah, the way Etzebeth tells it stacks up. It was definitely ‘In Their Heads’!
67 Go to commentsEtsebeth is right about 1 thing. Boks after winning a RWC have been crap. Only in 2009 did they reach the heights of what a RWC Champion should look like but that was only after 3rd/last in the TriN 2008. Lost a home series in 1996 (vs ABs); didnt win even 1 x Rugby Championship after 2019. ABs and Wallabies and England at least played like Champions after winning RWC.
67 Go to commentsCrusaders will knock one of the top seeds out in the first round, hope it’s not my Chiefs
28 Go to commentsEben really seems like just a deeply unpleasant man.
67 Go to commentsDMac. BB crabs too much at 10.
4 Go to commentsIt is every boys dream to be a Springbok. I managed it in a discipline other than rugby…But rugby, I have always engaged with passion. It does my old heart good to see the mix of people in the team and this displays the possibilities for this wonderful country. The logo “stronger together” says it all. This current edition of the Boks is nothing short of inspirational.
3 Go to commentsIrish people about the best damn people on the planet. OK, in the NH. Fijians are the World’s best happiest friendliest people. But as far as European cultures producing good people, Ireland stands alone. But on the rugby pitch there is a creeping arrogance that has detached from humility. eg Sexton abusing a match referee, and not for the 1st time. He was extremely lucky to make it to the RWC, strings were pulled. And O’Mahoneys sledge to Cane was lowballing, attacking an opposition Captain seems opportunistic and gutter talk. Cane is a real gentleman. Have never seen ABs unleash after the whistle like they did on O’Mahoney after QterF, it was well deserved. Unlike Bok supporters, the Bok players understand history. Massive amount of respect between Boks and ABs is evident, they get on well and have throughout history. Even Pinetree Meads best mate (except his old cobber Kel Tremain) were Springboks, friendships forged after tours. And Meads was always targetted given his star status (he even played 2 x Tests with a broken arm). On the contrary, ABs and Wallabies famously dont get on, bad blood after Aussies not taking offer of beersies postmatch.
67 Go to commentsHaha god NZ journalism is so crap listen to this guy “We’ll be proven in a few weeks if our baseless bs can stick” lol Everywhere else uses experts to write stuff but here they’re just career guys that don’t care about what they write, NOT CONCEDED A TRY IN YEARS lol > “Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision. Pretty much sums it up to a tee Paul ignores the articles in here about then runs off each team this year, that Penney is just a yearly stop gap until, who, Ellison is released by ABs, the huge imbalance of the injury front between teams at each end of the table, or who it was that _should_ have been coach. But of course if they actually do evidence and investigative work theyre shy of their article not hitting that sensationalism boundary and lose revenue. Leaving us non the wiser. They look like they would have been best with a geeup coach this year to turn around the razorless depression the clubs obviously going through. Hard to think of someone fitting the Bill to have been chosen instead, the clown Cheika? Id have been tempted to double play and entice O’Gara down. Hell maybe that is who they are waiting for, he wants a international gig and it could be after Scmidt or razor
28 Go to comments_Dan Carter weighs in on who should be Scott Robertson's All Black 10_ Dan: “It’s a toss up between Beudy and Dmac, although Mounga would be nice - but he can’t… so…” The Rugby Public: “Thanks Dan. For nuthin!”
4 Go to commentsEngland did this way back for the Croke Park match in the 2000’s. The shame actually seemed to weigh on them during the match. It will not be easy for Northhampton players to rationalize how their army went into a stadium of a major city of the then United Kingdom and opened fire indiscriminantly into terraces killed 14 and wounding scores. I am sure with a pro setup they will get this balance right. I live beside the stadium. A very old woman on the street remembers as a very young girl the crowds of people filling the street to escape the massacre. A lot of water under the bridge and the match has really little historical relevance for Irish/Leinster supporters any more. Those ghosts were freed in the trashing of England in the 2000’s match. Sure, it will motivate Leinster but Northhampton should not overly consider it or weigh on it in my opinion. Dowson is right to learn the historical importance and Northhampton are indeed giving the occasion due respect. It is important to show respect. But that’s enough for Northhampton. Fair play to them. On to the rugby now.
15 Go to commentsDouble World Cup Champions ? Wow since when did 4 become 2!
215 Go to comments“See you in the final” from a winning (Irish) team is just away of wishing a team well for the rest of the tournament. It’s actually saying I hope we both make it to the final. Etzebeth was the only player who PUBLICLY said that his team would make the final after that match. Does anyone honestly think Ireland who took 100 years to beat NZ and got hammerred by them in 2019 would for the slightest moment not take the perilous threat as seriously as it should be taken? Getting sick of Boks and Kiwis who spend all year every year trying boasting about how great and humble they are and then accusing others of arrogance. Respect people by trying to understand them before hitting a pretty humble people with this crap.
67 Go to commentsThe feelings of gratitude I feel when thinking about the Boks is difficult to describe. It really means a lot to people here. I would flat out ask Ox for a big hug if I met him in person. And then probably pass out after the squeeze. Totally worth it.
3 Go to commentsFarrell seems to be an outstanding coach and Ireland a very well prepared team. But they looked like they had no plan B against NZ. Maybe they really were looking past them, as Eben says.
67 Go to commentsMaybe if you come once in your life in France you won’t writte so much nonsense 🙃
1 Go to commentsWhy did they kill 14 people at a gaelic football match? What had happened earlier that day? Dowson sounds absolutely pathetic, believing what the Irish say about his people, rather than believing what his people say about the Irish.
15 Go to comments