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Super Rugby Pacific

'I'm really excited': Rebels sign Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto

By AAP

07 Jun 2023

(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

The Melbourne Rebels have officially confirmed Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has signed with the Super Rugby Pacific club until the end of 2025.

Salakaia-Loto has been playing with Northampton in the UK but makes himself available for Test selection ahead of the World Cup by linking with the Rebels.

He will join with another Queensland player, Wallabies prop Taniel Tupou, who will shift from the Reds to Melbourne next season, while former Reds hooker Alex Mafi made the move this year.

The arrival of Salakaia-Loto, who has played 30 Tests, will help offset the loss of Matt Philip and Trevor Hosea, who are heading overseas.

The 26-year-old was part of the the Wallabies’ 2019 World Cup campaign, playing all five matches, including the quarter-final but coach Eddie Jones hasn’t revealed if he’s in his plans for this year’s tournament in France.

“Having the opportunity to add what’s been brewing down in Melbourne was really exciting,” Salakaia-Loto said in a statement on Thursday.

“I’m looking forward to reuniting with Maf (Alex Mafi) and Nela (Taniela Tupou), who are basically my brothers.

“The opportunity to reconnect and play together for the same team once again is something I’m really excited for.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

Hammer Head 3 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Not enough, apparently

13 Go to comments

Hammer Head 4 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Forever

13 Go to comments

SC 6 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Simple, the ref, tmo, match officials didn’t want to incur the wrath of rassie “ the lord almighty” erasmus.

13 Go to comments

Hammer Head 8 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Squatting

13 Go to comments

Hammer Head 8 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Can’t wait for Eden Park and Wellington.

13 Go to comments

MM 11 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Rassie’s video rant about Berry?

Don’t make me laugh!!

13 Go to comments

MM 12 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

So the Boks never bring up about the ref in their QFinal in RWC 2011 then??

Pot, kettle etc…..

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BA 24 minutes ago

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Jordan not getting starts at 15 always seemed strange to me know there were injuries he had and so on and maybe because we were losing so many games didn’t get the luxury of trying new stuff but jeez am wrong to say it seemed obvious and Will was clearly best 15 in the country for years ?

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BA 28 minutes ago

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instinct he’s a ball carrier

We wish. He always passes the ball away when he has space.

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BigGabe 33 minutes ago

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Springbok rugby still living rent-free in Ben Smith’s head I see.

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JW 34 minutes ago

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JG 45 minutes ago

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Oh my word, for how long are they still going to keep bleating about that try.

The match officials DID explain it at the time, ruling that the ball was knocked out of Bongi’s hand by a NZ player. The ball went straight down (not forward) and Bongi fell on it, thus resulting in the try being awarded.

So it is disingenuous of Robertson to say that it wasn’t checked. If the match officials are confident in their decision, based on what they saw, then they don’t usually go to the TMO - even if requested.

Or else they’ll be going upstairs for virtually every try scored in a match.

Seriously, the Kiwis must now get over themselves. Every time they lose a match by a narrow margin, they find something to go on and on about. It’s almost as if they believe that other teams are “not allowed” to beat them.

Mind you, I think that dates back to a few years earlier when it seemed like the All Blacks were untouchable in the eyes of the match officials at the time.

Maybe Robertson still thinks that is the case nowadays. He hasn’t received the memo about the ABs no longer being unfairly “protected” by match officials.

Let’s face it - there was a time, not too long ago, where players from other teams were almost too afraid to touch or tackle a New Zealand player, for fear of incurring the referee's wrath.

And also, around the same time, NZ captain Richie McCaw was the “golden boy” amongst match officials and even amongst the big brass at the (then) IRB (now World Rugby).

Dont get me wrong, I’m an admirer of McCaw as a player and captain - I think he was great. And I will ALWAYS regard the All Blacks as a great Rugby team.

BUT let’s just be realistic, the New Zealand Rugby fraternity do tend to have this rather large sense of entitlement when it comes to test matches won or lost.

They expect other teams to accept it whenever a dubious decision goes the All Blacks’ way in a game.

BUT they don’t seem willing to do the same.

They'll routinely congratulate their opponents when they lose a match, but will then (for months, or even years afterwards), continue to bleat and “bitch” about a decision or incident that occurred in that match, trying to play the “victim” that was hard-done-by.

Perhaps it’s time for all involved in NZ Rugby to realize and accept that NO team should expect to have the right to always be “protected” or “favoured” in every match they play in.

Come on Scott Robertson, quit sinking to the low levels of some of your predecessors who, annoyingly, believed that the All Blacks have some divine, inalienable right to win every match they play.

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