Wycliff Palu’s Wallabies career was defined by injury — but not in the way you might think ...

WYCLIFF Palu’s career was not unfulfilled due to constant injury. That he could still be relied upon when half broken speaks of his true value and spirit.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 21: Wycliff Palu of the Wallabies runs the ball during the International Test match between the Australia Wallabies and France at Allianz Stadium on June 21, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

With many of his contemporaries nearing 100 Tests, Wycliff Palu will hang up his Wallaby boots with his tally back at 57.

But to view Palu’s mark as low or unfulfilled, or to attach “just” or “only” those 57 Test caps, would be doing the big no. 8 a major disservice.

An injury-plagued career may have denied Palu another 40 Test caps, but the simple fact he played more than 50 is the surest testament available to the talent and influence of the 33-year-old wielded over a ten-year period as a Wallaby.

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Palu’s Test career came to an end in London this week when a hamstring injury suffered against Uruguay saw him ruled out of the rest of the World Cup.

With the veteran Waratah signed to play for Toyota in Japan after the tournament, Palu’s 11-year career in Australia drew to a quiet close.

Wycliff Palu has called time on what should be considered a stellar career.

When reflecting on Palu’s career, it is impossible to overlook the fact he spent almost as much time in the rehab room as he did on the field.

Whether his joints and muscles were cursed, cursing him for a wrecking ball attitude on the field or a mixture of both, rarely a year went by that Palu didn’t have to deal with a few weeks or months on the sideline.

Grab a Greys Anatomy and start reading and chances are Palu hurt every second chapter: hamstrings, calves, knees, shoulders, hands, backs. Et cetera et cetera.

Indeed, this wasn’t even the first World Cup Palu had to leave early. He did the muscle and same farewell press call at Hamner Springs in 2011. In the first of his three World Cups in 2007, Palu overcame injury to make the plane.

All the injuries led to critics. Palu is constantly broken. Palu can’t be relied upon. Palu is over-rated, and so on.

Those critics are — how do we put this mildly — they’re mildly clueless.

The fact Palu was relied upon, often while being broken, tells precisely how much every Wallaby and Waratah coach — and teammate — in the last decade has rated the Tongan back rower.

Palu was, for most of that time, the best powerhouse backrow forward Australia possessed.

Sevens? Heaps of them.

No. 6s for a line out or to ball play? No shortage.

A hard-edged no. 8 who dents the line every time he carried the ball, or who dents a rival ball runner every time he came near? There was just one choice: “Cliffy”.

And if Palu wasn’t fit, it was a question of “when will Cliffy be right?”

Time and again Palu suffered injury, worked hard to get back and was deemed so valuable he was back in the Wallabies side as soon as possible.

It’s fair to say if he were any less of a player, Palu’s injuries would have seen him accumulate 37 Tests, not 57.

Was he influential, though? Or just the best of a spot with no depth?

Rivals will tell you of how they avoided Palu in contact (morning Rob Kearney) and stats will tell you that the Manly boy will retire with a record comparable to some of the greatest names in Australian rugby.

In 57 outings, Palu won 34 Tests, drew four and lost 19. It leaves him with a winning percentage of 63%.

Of the current Wallabies squad, only one player is higher: Tatafu Polota-Nau (71%).

Palu is equal to the winning record of David Pocock and Kurtley Beale, and is just ahead of Quade Cooper (62%).

Those contemporaries? Adam Ashley-Cooper (57%), Stephen Moore (59%), Matt Giteau (57%) and Drew Mitchell (56%) are all lower. Same with the rest of the squad.

Jason Litte is the “winningest” ever Wallaby with 77 per cent but Palu’s mark is in the same neighbourhood as names like George Gregan (66%), Stephen Larkham (67%), Nick Farr-Jones (66%) and Toutai Kefu (66%). Fair company.

Palu was not always on the field, but when he was, he made the team stronger, more physical and far more able to own the advantage line.

Consider this: Palu only lost three Tests of 19 on home soil. Few can boast that record in modern times.

Maybe it is because he missed a few All Blacks games. Or maybe not.

Maybe it is just a matter of when Palu was fit, the Wallabies were a better team. Full stop.

Originally published as Wycliff Palu’s Wallabies career was defined by injury — but not in the way you might think ...