Shots fired as former Rebels players settle into new clubs

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has spiced up an old Super Rugby Pacific rivalry and opened up on his “weird” Ballymore exit three years ago ahead of his Queensland Reds return.

The Wallabies forward is home after stints at Northampton and the now defunct Melbourne Rebels, where he spent last season with another former Reds star Taniela Tupou.

The Rebels’ demise sparked dramatic player movement, with world-class prop Tupou now at the NSW Waratahs alongside emerging Test star Angus Bell and NRL convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

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The old rivals will clash at Suncorp Stadium on March 15 and, ahead of the Reds’ preseason tour of England and Ireland, Salakaia-Loto couldn’t help but throw an early punch.

“He sent me a picture of him yesterday in a Waratahs jersey and thought I was looking at the picture of the sky, it was that massive,” he smirked.

“I’ve already got into him a bit and told him it just doesn’t look right.

“But I’m happy for him. For him to still be in Australia is massive, not only for the Wallabies but also Super Rugby.

“He’s someone we should be working hard to keep in the game for sure.”

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The same goes for 28-year-old Salakaia-Loto, who left Ballymore for a deal in England, disgruntled after falling out of Wallabies favour and missing out on a Rugby Australia top-up contract deal.

He’s played 11 Tests since then and is happy to admit this year’s British and Irish Lions tour is a major motivating factor as players from the four remaining Australian-based Super teams jostle for spots.

“It was a bit of a weird one,” he said of his 2022 Australian rugby exit.

“It was something that I needed, but didn’t realise at the time. I did a lot of growing up, going overseas and then in Melbourne.

“With two kids now I’ve got a family of my own and there’s a lot of lessons you learn when you leave the nest, and that’s what it was for me.

“It’s like when you leave home and you don’t realise what your parents were telling you; it makes sense when reality hits you.

“It’s crazy to think that a couple of years later I’m back here.”

The versatile, talented ball-carrier has terrific chemistry with Reds backrow stars Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson and Liam Wright and said that had been front-of-mind when speaking with second-year Reds coach Les Kiss.

“It was about understanding if I could fit in the game plan and it’s been a seamless transition,” he said.