Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese to make shock appearance in Shute Shield
Jordan Uelese opens up on his long road to recovery, and the secret motivation driving him to make the Wallabies World Cup squad.
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When Wallaby Jordan Uelese takes the field at Concord Oval on Saturday, playing for Gordon in his first Shute Shield match, there will be a name written on his wristband that will encapsulate all of the resolve marking his determined comeback from injury.
“My aunty passed away late last year just before Christmas, she was terminally ill, she was the lady who used to come and watch me every day,” Uelese told Rugby Central
“Her dying words were; ‘Make sure you go hard in rugby for me’.
“That’s my motivation for this year, and my career going forward.
“I use my aunty Rita as my motivation now.
“As tough as it was, I take the positive from the negative and use her dying words as motivation for this season.
“That’s something special for me and something I hold close to my heart. Nothing else could push me harder.
“I will write her name on my wrist band next to my nanna’s, every time I’m tired I will look at it and keep moving forward.”
Uelese has not played a professional match since June last year after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear representing Melbourne Rebels, and his comeback has been hampered by an infection after his knee operation.
Picked to play for the Wallabies in 2017 after just 28 minutes of Super Rugby, the 22-year-old hooker came off the bench for two Rugby Championship Tests and toured with Australia on the spring tour that year.
But after his injury and further complications pushed back his return in 2019, Uelese has limited time to put forward his case for the World Cup.
He’s expected to be back in the Rebels team next week for the match against the Bulls, giving him five Super games and potentially the finals before the Wallabies squad is finalised.
“It has been a rollercoaster of emotions, a fair bit of frustration thinking you’re going to play when in reality you’re not,” Uelese said.
“But I’m still young, there’s a bigger picture, and I want longevity in my career.”
While many expected to see Uelese return for the Rebels for Friday’s clash against Queensland at AAMI Park, officials believe he is best served with a half of footy in the Shute Shield against West Harbour.
“[Rebels hooker] Robbie Abel was playing for Gordon and so a spot opened up for me there, the surface at Concord Oval is supposed to be really good so the coaches felt it would be good for me to play there and I’m really looking forward to it,” Uelese said.
“I’ve never played in the Shute Shield but it has a lot of history and is a wonderful advertisement for grassroots rugby.”
Uelese has been involved in all of the Wallabies camps this year, indicating that coach Michael Cheika has him in his plans.
Hooker is the most contentious spot in the Australian team, with three to be selected for the World Cup out of Uelese, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tolu Latu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and the in-form Folau Fainga’a, who is the leading tryscorer in Super Rugby.
But Uelese also has stiff competition at the Rebels, with Anaru Rangi performing well, and Hugh Roach and Abel also in the mix.
“There are a lot of great players in the mix for the Wallabies, I haven’t thought too much about that, I just want to get back and play well for the Rebels and the guys that are there now have been playing really well,” Uelese said.
“My body is ready, I am 100 per cent now.
“It has been a long road, I got an infection in my knee joint after the operation, and biomechanic testing showed there were deficiencies in my knee and other parts of my body.
“But now I’m in the best shape of my life.
“Last year ended prematurely, and I had a lot to offer last year.
“I’ve taken that as motivation to come back bigger and better this year, rebuild my body off the field.
“It’s a dream as a kid to play for the Wallabies, even better to play at a World Cup.
“But first and foremost I want to play well for the Rebels and earn that jersey and that respect back from the boys, and hopefully in turn, as a by-product of that, earn that gold jersey back as well.
“If I play well for Melbourne everything else will look after itself.”
Uelese’s comeback has taken many twists and turns.
There will likely be more as he attempts to get a boarding pass for Japan in September.
Throughout that journey, the memory of Aunty Rita, his mother’s oldest sister, will fuel Uelese to fulfil her last words.
Originally published as Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese to make shock appearance in Shute Shield
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