Payto & Panda: trans-Tasman allegiances splits Alaalatoa family in two, Will Genia breaks Argentina’s media ban

PAYTO & PANDA: or a father of two huge front-rowers, Vili Alaalatoa was always going to be between a rock and a hard place - to watch his Wallaby or future All Black.

FITTINGLY for a father of two huge front-rowers, Vili Alaalatoa was always going to be between a rock and a hard place on Saturday.

At 3pm in Melbourne his youngest Allan will be starting at tighthead prop for the Wallabies and straight after — in New Zealand — elder son Michael will be taking on the British and Irish Lions with the Crusaders.

So what decision did Vili make? Sorry Allan. The trans-Tasman flight is booked for on Friday afternoon.

Wallaby Allan Alaalatoa (R) with his brother Michael.

“I knew there was going to be three Tests for the Wallabies in June and Michael is only going to be in one against the Lions, so I thought I’d head over to New Zealand for this week,” Vili told us on Thursday.

“I told Allan that I came over to France when he first started (for Australia), so he can’t complain too much.”

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Allan has ousted Sekope Kepu as the no. 1 tight-head and Mike — after being lost to Australia — has developed as a rock-solid prop on the bench for the unbeaten Crusaders. The Kiwis want him for All Black duty in coming years.

“It is like a dream come true I guess,” Vili said of Saturday’s double-header.

Vili Alaalatoa with Michael who could soon be in an All Blacks jersey. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“As a parent you just want to help them along in whatever they enjoy doing, but they’re the ones who’ve done the hard work. It’s a great feeling to see them doing well.”

Only Vili is heading to New Zealand. He’ll catch Allan’s game in a pub outside the ground in Christchurch.

“My wife (Emma) she doesn’t like watching all the physical stuff they do. Even though they’re 23 and 25, they’re still her boys,” he said.

All 260 kilograms of them.

PRAYING FOR FANS

The ARU could do with every fan possible in Melbourne.

A year after setting the AAMI Park ground record of 29,871 against England, the Wallabies-Fiji game is a on track to draw a crowd around half of that. Or less.

The lowest home crowd in the professional era is 14,281 when Australia played Argentina on the Gold Coast.

Prior to that, crowds of 7000-8000 weren’t uncommon in the 1970s and 80s. In 1987, only 4000 turned out for a World Cup qualifier against South Korea.

Fiji have never drawn huge crowds in Australia, the Rebels crowds have been poor this year and as far as expendable income goes, the Wallabies are not only up against AFL but a sold-out Argentina-Brazil soccer game at the MCG on Friday night.

But there is a feeling in Melbourne rugby circles that some people are fuming at the ARU for contemplating cutting the Rebels and are voting with their dollars.

GENIA HELPS BREAK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

The Wallabies stumbled into a world exclusive media opportunity when visited the Argentinian soccer team’s training on Wednesday.

The Wallabies visit was organised by Mario Ledesma, through a bloke who knows a bloke, kinda thing.

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They were just there to watch but Lionel Messi wandered over and as a rugby fan from Rosario, recognised ex-Pumas legend Ledesma and Genia.

Lionel Messi and Wallabies star Will Genia.

A pic of the jersey swap between Messi and Genia was whipped around on Argentinian Football’s accounts on Twitter and a lazy 3.7 million people saw it.

The best part? Argentina have been on a worldwide media ban since last year after getting annoyed at a fake scandal. They train behind fences and Messi, in particular, never does any media.

In Australia for the Brazil game, promoters had hoped to get him in a pic with a Melbourne icon but got crickets in response.

Until the Wallabies walked into training ...

ONE TEST AT A TIME FOR HIGGERS

SCOTT Higginbotham returned to Australian rugby this year but a Wallabies jersey was the furthest thing from his mind in February when charged by police for allegedly assaulting an officer.

“Obviously it was an interesting start to the year, but things just got more and more positive from there on out,” he said.

Yet here he is, about to play his first Test in two years after Michael Cheika named him to start at No. 8 against Fiji in what will be his 33rd game for Australia.

“Coming back to the Reds, I signed knowing I might never play for Australia again, I was well aware of that and that’s helped me to relax and enjoy my football,” Higginbotham said.

“I’m just going to take it a game at a time, enjoy the ride. Every Test I get from here out is an extra Test I didn’t think I’d get.”

TEMPTING LIONS

The Melbourne Test won’t be screening the Crusaders-Lions game after the Wallabies due to added hiring costs.

But there was talk earlier in the year about the first Test between the All Blacks and Lions being shown on the big screen at Suncorp Stadium after the third Test against Italy, and if the ARU have any smarts, they’ll get this organised.

Why? Take a look at pubs when a Lions game is on. Get that mass of red-shirts into Suncorp with the promise of beer and two games of rugby and you’d add 5000 to the gate.

FAKE PITCH BOOTS BEASTIES

Easts have settled upon a new home ground for the rest of the season — Mackay Oval at Centennial Park.

The Beasties have had rotten luck this year after Woollahra Oval was rebuilt as a hi-tech artificial pitch. But problems beneath the surface forced it to be ripped up and re-laid. It was originally only going to be half the season but got pushed out to the whole season.

The revamped Woollahra Oval had some major complications with the artificial pitch.

It meant Easts couldn’t play at home, playing away for most of the first year and home games in Orange and at Rat Park. After looking at playing games at Coogee Oval, Easts settled on a home in Centennial Park.

“It’s regrettable,” said Easts president John Murray. “We are obviously disappointed but no-one has done it on purpose and Woollahra Council were trying to create a fantastic venue, which it will be for next year and many, many years for Easts Rugby.”

When it finally opens, Woollahra will also have a new hill at the north end.

PROUD TO WEAR THIS KIT

As good as a tribal tattoo.

That’s the verdict from Will Skelton on the Waratahs’ new Pasifika jersey, which the team will wear against the Jaguares in their next home game on July 8.

The Pasifika motifs on the blue jersey were chosen by the team to signify “the cultural and historical relationships that the players have with their homelands and family”.

Waratahs unveil their Pasifika jersey.

Recognising the contribution of the Pacific Islands to NSW and Australian rugby is a great step, particularly considering RUPA research shows players with PI heritage now make up 42% of Australia’s Super Rugby players. The Brumbies have 50%.

Skelton said it would be a privilege to wear the jersey.

“Not only are we representing NSW but with the patterns and the designs that we have on it, it represents my culture which is Samoa and a lot of other cultures, so it’s a massive honour,” he said.

“I don’t have tattoos but wearing this jersey makes me feel like I do and I know there are a lot or traditions in the islands about having tattoos and there are certain rituals you have to go through. So just to have this on our jerseys, is a privilege and an honour.”

Originally published as Payto & Panda: trans-Tasman allegiances splits Alaalatoa family in two, Will Genia breaks Argentina’s media ban