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Suliasi Vunivalu on World Cup 'gamble' and tough talk with Eddie Jones
Suliasi Vunivalu has lifted the lid on his big contract “gamble” and how he learned to speak up to save his rugby career.
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The winger will start for the Queensland Reds in Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific trial game against Western Force at Ballymore, one of just two hit-outs for new coach Les Kiss before round one.
However, the Melbourne Storm premiership winger could easily have been back in the NRL, or plying his trade in European or Japanese rugby, if not for a brave decision made in May.
“My manager just told me, ‘Look mate, this is going to be a gamble’,” the 28-year-old told AAP ahead of his fourth season at Ballymore.
“(He said) ‘You’ve got a new coach coming in and the World Cup in front of us, so what do you want to do? You could be earning this much at this (overseas) club, or do you want to stay there and give it a try?’
“He gave me a week to think about it … and I went, ‘You know what, I’m going to gamble this and if I get to a World Cup or not, so be it’.”
Vunivalu had just a few minutes of Test experience to his name at that point, but was one of the big winners in Eddie Jones’s ill-fated short reign.
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Backed by the controversial coach despite an underwhelming start against South Africa, Vunivalu starred in a warm-up Test loss to France.
He then made the most of a bench role in a campaign he admits he enjoyed, “apart from the team’s results”.
Signed until at least the end of next season, a fully fit Vunivalu has put three years of confidence and health issues behind him and is targeting a big role for the Wallabies in next year’s British and Irish Lions visit.
“I can get so much better and that’s on my mind,” he said.
“It doesn’t come around often. It’s something to sit back when you’re older to say you played them.”
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Doors are opening too, with Mark Nawaqanitawase – preferred on the wing ahead of him in France – set to defect to rugby league at the end of this season, and fellow Fijian-born winger Marika Koroibete nearing the end of his Test career.
Vunivalu said frank discussions with Jones had benefited him and set the foundation with new boss Kiss, himself a former rugby league winger, particularly regarding his strength and conditioning program.
“I guess I just had to speak up,” he said.
“If I’m zipping it, it’s creating problems.”
All six of the Reds’ World Cup representatives will start against the Force, who will play Waratahs recruit and World Cup utility Ben Donaldson at No.10 in an afternoon clash made up of 30-minute thirds.
Fellow recruit Nic White (shoulder) hasn’t travelled to Brisbane, with Australia’s World Cup bolter Issak Fines-Leleiwasa to start at No.9 instead.
Star recruit Taniela Tupou will come off the bench for new club Melbourne Rebels when they host the Waratahs at Moorabbin Rugby Club on Saturday afternoon.
“We know with Taniela once he’s happy, he gets on with rugby,” Rebels coach Kevin Foote said.
“He’s a big protector and we want to make sure that he feels like he’s got his role in this team.”
Lachlan Hooper will partner Wallabies brother Tom for the first time at the ACT Brumbies, with coach Stephen Larkham naming a host of under-19 graduates in a 33-man squad to play Fijian Drua in Canberra on Saturday night.
Comments on RugbyPass
Huge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
215 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
8 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
36 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
15 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
36 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
3 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
215 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
215 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
36 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
36 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
215 Go to comments