Why Wallabies need back-to-back John Eales medallist Rob Valetini to stand up against the Lions at MCG

His absence has been keenly felt, but if ever there was a time for Australian rugby’s most reliable performer, Rob Valetini, to stand up and carry a team on his back, it is against the Lions in his home town. Here’s why.

If ever there was a time for Australian rugby’s most reliable performer to stand up and carry a team on his back, it is now; at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in his home town, to salvage the series against the British & Irish Lions.

Rob Valetini, the two-time John Eales medallist who has been the Wallabies’ best performer since 2022, returns to the side with the series on the line after the Lions took a 1-nil lead after winning in Brisbane.

Rob Valetini will return for the second Test against the Lions. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

His physicality was clearly missed at Suncorp Stadium, and he was clearly annoyed at having to miss the opener due to a calf injury, having played nearly every Wallabies Test for the past six years.

The calf injury prevented him taking the field in the warm-up against Fiji, and the Lions opener, but Australian captain Harry Wilson believes he’ll return to his rampaging best in this must-win clash.

Harry Wilson trains at the MCG ahead of the must-win clash for the Wallabies against the Lions at the MCG. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

“Bobby loves playing for Australia, so he’s missed two games this year, which he hasn’t missed many over the last five or six years, so he’s really excited,” Wilson said.

“He’s had a really good week’s prep, his body’s looking good and I know he loves playing here in Melbourne, so he’ll be fired up.”

Valetini and 135kg lock Will Skelton return to bolster the forward pack, who were outmuscled in the last Test.

“You get a lot of confidence when you have two people with their experience and their presence coming to your side,” Wilson said.

“It always does give you a lot of confidence and they’re two real leaders in the group and having them back in such a big match is really exciting for us.

“We want to impose ourselves physically.

“We want to back our skills and we just want to go out there and start fast, which (with) a 6-2 bench means another person gets to go off the field.

“So, more reason to go out there, start fast, throw your body around, knowing there’s some quality bench players that come in and finish.”

Valetini knows the task at hand, after the Lions’ backrow of Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan dominated the Wallabies last weekend.

Tadhg Beirne dominating the lineout during the first Test in Brisbane. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“I was watching from the sidelines there and I thought all three were pretty involved, big boys and I think they did their jobs well,” Valetini said.

“I was eager to get on the field, but I couldn’t.

“I think that’s the challenge for us this week, knowing what’s coming and trying to prepare for that.”

While Melbourne is Valetini’s home town, an influx of thousands more touring Lions fans is set to make the MCG a fortress for the away side, with more than 90,000 expected in the stands.

Australia's Rob Valetini during captain's run ahead of the MCG Test match. Picture: David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images

“When I’m on the field, I don’t even take in the crowd really,” Valetini said.

“I just focus on the footy field. But I did see the crowd on the weekend and I did love that there was a lot of the Lions fans there cheering and creating a big atmosphere.

“But I did see a lot of gold as well in the stands, so I’m hoping to see plenty of them at the G.”

The Lions have won the opening Test of their past three tours in Australia (2013), New Zealand (2017) and South Africa (2021), and then lost the second Test.

But Wilson doesn’t rely on history to get the job done.

“I’m not sure how much I read into that,” Wilson said.

“I guess they just played a really good game of footy in that first Test and it’s about us trying to bounce back this Test.”

Originally published as Why Wallabies need back-to-back John Eales medallist Rob Valetini to stand up against the Lions at MCG