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'I'm better than that': Suliasi Vunivalu plans to win back respect as he eyes return from injury
Injured NRL convert Suliasi Vunivalu says he’s likely to return for the next Queensland Reds game and is intent on winning back respect after an inauspicious start to life in rugby union.
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The Melbourne Storm winger starred in his side’s NRL grand final victory in October, despite spending almost six months away from his family in the club’s Sunshine Coast COVID-19 bubble.
But what seemed destined to be a smooth transition has been anything but, Vunivalu missing three of his unbeaten side’s seven wins this Super Rugby AU season, first because of suspension then due to a hamstring injury.
Part of a Wallabies’ 40-man camp in Sydney this week, Vunivalu’s arrival from rugby league has been trumpeted as a potential game-changer for the national side, who will play France and then potentially host the Rugby Championship later this year.
While he has shown glimpses of brilliance in his few starts this season Vunivalu knows he’s running out of time to make an impression if he wants to be part of those Tests.
The last thing Mo’unga faddists want to see, the old Barrett is coming back… pronto! https://t.co/e7TuPgCX3w
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 12, 2021
And it’s partly his own doing, the 25-year-old set for a court date next weekend after being charged with common assault for allegedly striking a security guard in the face while intoxicated earlier this year.
He missed the season opener as a result, the club also fining him and saying he had allegedly pushed the security guard.
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“It was hard standing in front of them (my teammates) addressing them; not a good look being there just four weeks when that incident happened,” Vunivalu said on Monday.
“He (coach Brad Thorn) said this is just a minor setback, but the only way it can get better is by what you do afterwards.
“So I just tried to keep my head down and show on the field that I’m better than that … at that time I really wanted support, so him talking to me was really good.”
The Reds will host the domestic final on May 8 with Vunivalu a chance of collecting a dual-code double inside six months.
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All but over his hamstring niggle, Vunivalu hopes to first find a spot in a stacked Reds backline to face the Western Force on April 23 after their bye this week.
Regular visits to Reds attack coach Jim McKay’s office and Thorn’s “old-school” approach have Vunivalu confident the game he played as a schoolboy in Fiji and New Zealand is quickly coming back to him.
“I can kick, I can roam around like a fullback in league in the middle or the other edge so I’m happy (with my progression) but I’m learning and the more games the better,” he said.
“One more game before the big dance would be good because I’d love to (play for the Wallabies later this year) but you’ve got to show it at club level to wear that (jersey).”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments