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Rennie explains NRL convert's controversial presence in Wallabies camp
Suliasi Vunivalu won’t play in the remaining Tri-Nations Tests with coach Dave Rennie saying his call-up to the Wallabies is about getting to know the Melbourne Storm rugby convert.
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The star winger, who has signed a two-year deal with Queensland and Rugby Australia, joined the Wallabies in their Hunter Valley camp this week, providing both parties with a taste of their future together.
“We’ve bought Suli in to have a bit of a look as we don’t know an enormous amount about him from a character point of view,” Rennie said on Thursday.
“It’s a chance for him to get an understanding of what we think is important and hopefully when he gets back to Super Rugby he has an understanding around two or three key areas that he can put a bit of time into that will help his transition.
“There’s no thinking about using him against Argentina; we want him to earn the right to play.”
Vunivalu, 24, played rugby as a junior and at high school in Auckland before being signed by the Storm as an 18-year-old.
Rennie said his athletic ability – including skills under the high ball and speed – was evident in his NRL career and he felt they would be easily transferable to the 15-man game.
The Wallabies have the weekend off with New Zealand and Argentina to do battle in the Tri-Nations at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.
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Despite coming off a shock 24-22 win over the All Blacks in Brisbane, Rennie said the break was welcome with a number of players carrying injuries.
That includes five-eighth James O’Connor, who has missed the past two matches with a knee injury.
Depending on his recovery the Queenslander could join a number of players leaving camp next week with the squad cut to give players more time off before Super Rugby AU resumes.
O’Connor’s troublesome knee paves the way for Reece Hodge to again wear the No.10 jersey against the Pumas on Saturday week in Newcastle.
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In just his second-ever start at five-eighth Hodge was a star of their All Blacks upset.
A considered view by the ex-Wallabies winger https://t.co/tZzNtZY4sX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
“We were really happy with the way Reece went so he’s putting a lot of pressure on us to give him another crack there,” Rennie said.
“It’s the only game he’s started for us since I’ve been here and I thought he was excellent.
“He delivered on all the areas that were the reasons we picked him and he gave us a bit of experience and he’s got a big kicking game.
“And then he’s a big man who can carry and defend well in that channel so I’m sure he’s pretty rapt with his performance and he had a massive impact on the result.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments