Australia v England game three: Suliasi Vunivalu opens up journey to Wallabies debut
Suliasi Vunivalu will make his Wallabies debut two years since his switch from the Melbourne Storm to union. But he has been through dark times to get there.
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Suliasi Vunivalu has been inspired by the courageous Queensland State of Origin victory to punish England in his Wallabies debut on Saturday.
The former NRL star has come through “dark times” in rugby to be picked on the bench for the series decider at the SCG, with expectations he’ll make a game-breaking play when he takes the field.
Had he not switched to union from the Melbourne Storm after winning the 2020 premiership, Vunivalu could well have found himself on the Queensland wing in Wednesday night’s thrilling victory at Suncorp Stadium.
“After watching that game, it just made me look forward to the Saturday game, with that intensity right from the start,” Vunivalu said.
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“We’ve been lacking that with the Wallabies in the first 20, so if we can bring that up, and shut the Pommies up, we’ll do a good job and be having a good yarn at the end of the game.
The 26-year-old flyer watched the game with his Wallabies teammates, and the Queensland contingent within the squad were all smiles on Thursday.
“I just like watching it, zoning in and watching players you played with, played against,” said Vunivalu, who scored an astonishing 86 tries from 111 games with the Storm.
“State of Origin is a massive game around this time of year, everyone zoned in to watch it.”
Vunivalu’s transition to rugby hasn’t been smooth sailing, and after being selected for his first Test, conceded there were moments in the past two years he’d wondered whether his switch had been worth it.
“I was actually in a really dark place, that thought came in my mind, ‘Did I really do the right decision to come over?’” he said.
“But I just had to look at it in a positive way, it’s just a small setback.
“If I do come back on the other side – and now I did – it’s a massive credit [to] myself and everyone that has helped me on the process.
“[I was playing] really good footy then I done my hammie, and then I done my second hammie, that’s when I thought, ‘Oh far out, I’ve never done this in league before, maybe the game is different here’.
“I had to readjust some of my training programs, the trainers here have helped me with that.
“This year I came back, didn’t miss any games, I’m really grateful to be playing every week.”
Among a raft of changes after last weekend’s loss to England that levelled the series 1-all, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie dropped James O’Connor, has brought in Reece Hodge to start at fullback, given Harry Wilson a start blindside flanker, promoted loose-head James Slipper to start ahead of Angus Bell, and starts last week’s debutant lock Nick Frost, with Rob Leota playing back-up off the bench.
Vunivalu said he’d rapidly improved his game after spending the past month in camp with the Wallabies, following the failed Queensland Reds season.
“Coming in here, just the expectation from the different coaches, they expect you to do things that I usually don’t do at club level that I know I’m missing in my game, like positioning, being busy all the time, throughout that four weeks we had on the Sunny Coast I’ve worked really hard on that,” Vunivalu said.
“The coaching staff make you get better in those areas. I am a better player than I was a month ago.”
Rennie’s SOS to save Wallabies from England onslaught
Dave Rennie has turned to barnstorming backrower Harry Wilson to save the Wallabies from being overpowered in the third and deciding Test match against England. Wilson was a notable omission from the first two Tests, but has now been rushed into the starting backrow for Saturday’s showdown at the SCG.
Injuries and suspensions have depleted Australia’s second-row stocks, so as foreshadowed it’s likely Rob Leota will move from starting backrow onto the bench as the lock cover.
Matt Philip and last week’s debutant Nick Frost are set to start in the second row, with Leota the reserve option, having started at blindside flanker in the first two Tests for the Ella-Mobbs Trophy.
There will also be changes in the backline after the concussion to Jordan Petaia.
Reece Hodge, Tom Wright and James O’Connor are the candidates to fill the vacant fullback spot.
Len Ikitau, who missed last weekend’s defeat in Brisbane with a calf injury, has regained fitness and will challenge Hunter Paisami for the starting outside centre position.
Former NRL star Suliasi Vunivalu is also a strong contender for his Wallabies debut given the numerous injuries; Izaia Perese ruptured his patella tendon last weekend and faces nine to 12 months on the sideline, Tom Banks broke his arm in the first Test and faces four months out, while Andrew Kellaway will also miss the series decider with a hamstring injury.
In the forwards, lock Cadyern Neville is expected to be out for three months with a medial collateral ligament knee injury suffered at Suncorp Stadium.
Lock options Jed Holloway and Ned Hanigan are also injured.
Prop Scott Sio, who lost feeling in his arm during last weekend’s match, is doubtful for this game.
Tight-head Allan Alaalatoa missed the second Test due to concussion, but should be eligible for Saturday, which means James Slipper can revert to being the back-up loose-head behind Angus Bell. Loose-head is Slipper’s specialist position, though he has done a remarkably solid job at tight-head late in both games.
Wilson, the 22-year-old Queenslander, has not played an international in 11 months.
His previous Test was against the All Blacks last August.
He had a strong start to the Super Rugby season, however dipped in form alongside his Reds teammates when they came up against the Kiwi sides in the back half of the tournament, as well as suffering concussion.
But with the Wallabies pack being bullied early in last weekend’s match – England led 19-0 before Australia came back only to lose 25-17 – Wilson will be asked to inject immediate physical dominance against the confident visitors.
Meanwhile, troubled hooker Tolu Latu has signed a new deal to return to the NSW Waratahs for the 2023 season, making him eligible for next year’s World Cup.
Latu, 29, had a three-year stint with Stade Francais but it was littered with on-field indiscretions.
The powerful forward will be a handy pick-up for NSW if he can keep a cool head, and will play back-up at the Tahs to Dave Porecki, who has proven a revelation at international level after his first two Tests for Australia during this series.
