Wallabies star centre Len Ikitau owes recovery from World Cup heartache to birth of baby Lennox
Wallabies centre Len Ikitau was left devastated by his controversial axing from last year’s World Cup campaign. Now one of Australia’s most crucial backline players, his fiancee reveals the secret to star’s resurgence.
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Len Ikitau’s fiancee has revealed how the birth of their son helped the Wallabies star centre cope with his controversial axing from last year’s World Cup campaign.
Eddie Jones left Ikitau out of his squad, a move that in retrospect has proven a blunder as Ikitau has established himself as one of the most crucial players in Australia’s backline under Joe Schmidt.
Ikitau had fractured his scapula in his shoulder blade during The Rugby Championship, but was fit enough to be selected by the time the World Cup squad was named, only to be overlooked by Jones, whose side bombed out in the pool stages.
It was a blow that could have ruined Ikitau’s career, but he has bounced back to become the Wallabies’ premier inside centre while forming a sizzling partnership with new recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Ikitau’s high school sweetheart Samantha De Flavis have 20-month-old son Lennox, and she revealed the family ties that helped him through.
“A lot of people thought he was injured, and when he did get injured, obviously he was devastated because it was so close to the World Cup,” De Flavis told this masthead.
“But straight away for him it was just about the controllables. He got dealt the card he got, and it was just about what he could do to put himself in the best position to get selected. And he worked really hard.
“Obviously devastation is the first emotion that he got, but then it was just focus.
“And then having Lennox as well, because he was born in March last year, I think that really distracted him too, just family life.
“He missed out on the World Cup, but being able to be there for some of those milestone things with his son really kept him grounded.
“And just a focus to get back.
“It was obviously devastating. But Lennox and I just provided that support and throughout the whole thing, it was just getting back to Brumbies, getting right.
“And he just continues to do what he does.
“Obviously, he learns new skills every day. But nothing’s really changed, and so that determination piece and wanting to be the best you can be was big.”
Ikitau’s greatest motivation is making Lenox proud.
“We spoke about that, little eyes are watching him,” De Flavis said.
“It’s a big deal for him, but we’ve always just said if he can walk away from it, every training session and every game doing the best he can, and being able to walk away and saying he gave it his all, then that’s really all that matters.
“And that’s all that matters for Lennox as well, watching him.
“I watch every game and like, I see what he does.
“And a lot of the time, it’s not the fancy stuff. He’s just consistent and he does what he does, puts his head down, he doesn’t cause too much fuss. For him, for us, really, it’s a job at the end of the day.”
Ikitau is off contract at the end of the British & Irish Lions tour next August, and has several overseas clubs interested in his signature.
With Rugby Australia trying to sign a new broadcast deal before they offer new contracts, De Flavis admitted that a move abroad could be on the cards.
“His main focus now is the Lions tour, he doesn’t want to get too wrapped up in all of the conversations about what’s next, because we don’t really know what that is yet,” De Flavis said.
“And I think for Len, it’s just about developing and continuing to develop his game.
“He’s got a great agent (David Shand) that we trust and we leave it up to him.
“We’ve been in Canberra a long time now, so I think for Len, it’s just about trying to get out of that comfort zone. Before Lennox he liked to do what he knew, but since we’ve had Lennox he’s found growth in himself. I guess our part is just supporting him in that growth and so we would embrace different opportunities if they came up.
“And it’s just perhaps a change. He’s just seeking growth and development.”
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Originally published as Wallabies star centre Len Ikitau owes recovery from World Cup heartache to birth of baby Lennox