Rugby news: Rob Valetini wants to do his family and country proud
Rob Valetini knows he has a huge job ahead of him when he tackles the Springboks, but that pales in comparison to the work his parents had to do just to get him there.
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With nine children to feed, Manueli and Finau Valetini were stretched every day.
In their Melbourne home, they had hungry boys who loved rugby. With no car.
So when Wallabies star Rob Valetini leaves the dressing room, hears the roar of the crowd and runs onto the pitch to take on the best backrowers in the world, he doesn’t forget his roots.
“Where I’ve come from, the sacrifices my parents and my family had to make to get me here, when I go out there on Saturday they’re what I’m thinking about, all the hard work they put in to help me get to where I am,” Valetini said.
“If it wasn’t for their sacrifice I wouldn’t be here.
“Whenever I’m running out onto the field, they’re the last people I think about before I go into battle.
“We didn’t have that much growing up, but as a kid they gave me heaps.
“Back then, you think money grows on trees. They paid for all my state stuff, all my rep stuff, as a kid you never knew how much things cost.
“We didn’t even have a car growing up, it wasn’t until later years we got a car and then they were always taking me to training on the other side of the city, early mornings.
“And it wasn’t just me, it was all my brothers as well. They’d have to drop me somewhere, drop my brothers somewhere else. I’ve got heaps to be grateful for.”
Valetini, 23, has been the Wallabies’ best performer this year, and now takes on the most intimidating backrow in the game; Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and his rival No.8. Duane Vermeulen.
“When you look at the names, the names say it all,” Valetini said.
“I’m always up for a challenge, the other two are up for a challenge in Jed [Holloway] and Frase [Fraser McReight], we’re keen to test ourselves against one of the best backrows out there.”
If the Wallabies are to match the Springboks’ physicality, it will be on the back of Valetini, the 193cm, 113kg wrecking machine who is already being likened to the legend Toutai Kefu.
“Playing in the Wallabies jersey is a massive honour for me, so I’m always going out there trying to give 100 per cent,” Valetini said.
“You watch Hoops (Michael Hooper), he always leaves everything out there, so playing alongside him you learn. Whenever I played with him I didn’t want to let him down because he always gave 100 per cent, and I’m trying to do the same.
“Once you get selected, that’s enough to fuel my energy.
“Wearing that jersey, you’re not only representing yourself. You’re representing your family, your country.
“I always want to do my family and my country proud, that will be enough to get me going on Saturday.”
DECISIONS RENNIE CAN’T AFFORD TO GET WRONG
Dave Rennie is staring at the most crucial set of results of his international coaching tenure.
The Wallabies have lost six of their previous eight games.
Next comes two Tests against world champions South Africa, followed by two against the All Blacks.
The England series has been lost, they’ve just been beaten by a record margin by Argentina, and if Rennie can’t turn the tide in the next month, pressure on his job will be steaming one year out from the World Cup.
He’s been hampered by crucial injuries, but Rennie has also gambled on selections and so far it hasn’t worked.
Rennie has a win percentage of 40 per cent, with 10 wins from 25 Tests in charge (three draws), which is the lowest of all Wallabies coaches since the game turned professional in 1996.
The loss of Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi, Tom Banks, Cadeyrn Neville and Izaia Perese to long-term injuries have limited Rennie’s options this season.
But he has also brought five-eighth Noah Lolesio in and out of the team, mixed up his fullbacks regularly, and hasn’t been able to settle on a front row – the absence of Angus Bell has played a role, and Bell is expected to be fit for next weekend’s match against the Springboks in Sydney.
For now, Rennie desperately needs a win in Adelaide against a side that hasn’t beaten the Wallabies in Australia since 2013.
PLAYMAKER
Like his predecessor Michael Cheika, Rennie is struggling to find the No. 10 he can select with confidence each week.
Cooper was that man until he injured his Achilles in the first match against Argentina earlier this month. But Cooper is contracted to Japanese club Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, which made him ineligible for last year’s northern tour, and will likely see him sit out this year’s tour which is an arduous trip against Scotland, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales.
Those matches will be crucial to the team’s development for the 2023 World Cup in France, and Rennie must find the best playmaker over the next four games.
For now, the position is in the hands of Lolesio, who was dropped after the England series.
James O’Connor was given the shot last time, but after the 48-17 loss to Argentina he was punted from the squad, and Bernard Foley recalled, although he will not feature this weekend.
Reece Hodge has been used at five-eighth this season and will fill that position again on Saturday if Lolesio is injured.
Cheika’s constant chopping and changing of his No. 10 before and during the 2019 World Cup ultimately saw the Wallabies bow out in the quarter-finals, and Rennie cannot afford to make the same mistake.
FULLBACK
Hodge is there this week, Tom Wright has been there previously, so too Jordan Petaia, and Andrew Kellaway is the back-up on Saturday.
Banks’ injury during the England series, and his subsequent move to Japan throws open this key position, which no player has been able to capture since Israel Folau’s sacking in 2019.
Rennie has now dropped Petaia from his team, while moving Wright to the wing.
Hodge’s massive boot will be handy against the kick-heavy Springboks, but can he cope with the aerial assault they’ll use? That will determine whether Hodge can hold onto the No. 15 spot long term, or revert to being a versatile bench option.
Kellaway is a favourite of Rennie’s, and looms as the most likely option should Hodge fail.
Petaia faces an uncertain road back. The freakishly talented 22-year-old has suffered for lack of consistency, but that will naturally affect his confidence.
FRONT ROW
While Taniela Tupou can be the most dominant prop in the world on his day, his lack of effort around the park has seen him drop to the bench this weekend.
Allan Alaalatoa returns as starting tighthead.
On the loosehead side, captain James Slipper holds the No. 1 jersey while Scott Sio is his back-up, however the talented Bell will pressure both of them when he becomes available next week.
Hooker Folau Fainga’a returns to the No. 2 jersey after withdrawing late from their last game, but he’s been in and out of the side. Dave Porecki back this week on the bench. Lachlan Lonergan has also been used this year, while Brumbies rookie Billy Pollard made his Test debut off the bench in San Juan. Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Feleti Kaitu’u were used last year, while Tolu Latu is still in the frame after signing with NSW Waratahs for 2023.
Overall, there has been constant change to the front row in Rennie’s tenure and he must nail down his best starting trio soon if they’re to build a solid set-piece foundation.
THE STAKES
Australia had a winless northern tour at the end of 2021, losing 15-13 to Scotland, 32-15 to England, and 29-28 to Wales.
After beating England in the first Test of 2022 by 30-28, Australia gave up the three-match series by losing 25-17 in Brisbane and 21-17 in Sydney.
They appeared to have found a groove by defeating Argentina 41-26 in Mendoza after trailing at halftime, but inexplicably turned in one of their worst performances in years the following week, belted by a record 48-17 by the Pumas.
They could well lose their next four games, which would put Rennie in the firing line, and he knows the importance of the result in Adelaide.
“Massive for us, to bury the disappointment of the previous game,” Rennie said.
“The Rugby Championship’s pretty even at the moment, everyone’s had one win. So [we’ve got] a chance to stay in the fight, and we go to the trophy at the end of it.
“We’ve had an excellent week of preparation and pretty brutal review and a fair bit of honesty and an excellent reaction. We need to see that on Saturday.”
WALLABIES’ MAJOR HEADACHE AS POSTER BOYS STRUGGLE
Jamie Pandaram
The Wallabies have a marketing headache.
Suddenly, their most recognisable faces are either not in the team, or playing off the bench due to poor form.
As coach Dave Rennie unveiled his latest side to take on world champions South Africa on Saturday at Adelaide Oval, it was confirmed Jordan Petaia had been axed, and Taniela Tupou dropped to the bench.
Wonder boy Petaia was beaten out by Tom Wright and Andrew Kellaway on the bench, while Rennie was forthright about Tupou’s performance in the loss to Argentina, leading to Allan Alaalatoa regaining the starting tighthead prop position.
“We need more out him, he’s well aware of that,” Rennie said of Tupou, who was the Wallabies’ advertising figurehead during the July England series.
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“He was pretty disappointed with his effort in the second Test. We know he’s a very good scrummager, we expect him to dominate with and without the ball as well.
“He was disappointing in those areas, so I guess the repercussion of that is he comes off the bench.”
Tupou, known as “Tongan Thor”, is on the verge of signing a contract extension with Rugby Australia that would take his annual salary upwards of $1 million.
The only Wallabies player on that money is captain Michael Hooper, who remains unavailable for selection after suddenly withdrawing from the Argentina tour due to burnout. It’s unclear whether Hooper will return this year.
Of the other most recognisable Wallaby players, Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi will be sidelined for the season with injuries, while James O’Connor has been dropped from the squad.
It has created a marketing vacuum, with most non-rugby fans struggling to recognise many in the current squad – former NRL star Marika Koroibete and zippy halfback Nic White being the exceptions.
While none can match the star power of the AFL’s Dustin Martin or the NRL’s Latrell Mitchell, there is opportunity for some of the new Wallabies to fill that void by stepping up against the world champions in back-to-back home Tests, followed by the Bledisloe Cup double-header against the All Blacks immediately after.
Young five-eighth Noah Lolesio, in and out of the starting side, is back in the No. 10 jersey this week. Centre pairing Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau can enhance their reputation against the best midfield duo in the world; Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am.
Rising backrow star Rob Valetini, probably Australia’s best player in 2022, can also move to a new sphere of popularity should he dominate proven rivals Duane Vermeulen and Ardie Savea over the next month.
And then there are Wright and Kellaway, who have surpassed Petaia in the selectors’ eyes despite the 22-year-old viewed as the next big thing in Australian rugby just two years ago.
“We thought about starting Kels, obviously we rate him highly, but he’s been away [with] injury, the fact we’ve got a 6-2 [bench] split, we think it’s better managing his minutes off the bench,” said Rennie, who has made six changes from the team that lost 48-17 to Argentina.
“Between Tom and Jordie, both excellent players, I think Tom’s been in the best form in a Wallaby jersey and maybe not as clinical last time out, but we’re going to back him to do the job.
“He’s a very good communicator. With Hodgey (Reece Hodge) at the back, it gives us a big kicking game which we reckon will be important this week.”
There is immense pressure on 22-year-old Lolesio this weekend, recalled once more after his axing following the 2-1 series loss to England.
“He was disappointed with the third Test against England, he wasn’t disastrous but he certainly wasn’t as good as he was Test one,” Rennie said.
“We’ve still got confidence in him, with Quade now out of the picture, James (O’Connor) got a crack last time, so Noah’s got an opportunity to try and cement that jersey.”
Not only do the Wallabies get the chance to turn their season around, having lost three of their past four matches, but against the Boks, their rising talent can push themselves forward as the team’s next poster boy.
Wallabies back in experience to tackle Boks
Jordan Petaia is the confirmed backline casualty for the Wallabies’ crucial match against the Springboks this weekend.
Australia’s coach Dave Rennie has opted to pick Reece Hodge at fullback, Tom Wright and Marika Koroibete on the wings, and take a 6-2 split on the bench with Andrew Kellaway as the back three cover.
It means the much-hyped Petaia has been dropped and Bernard Foley has not been considered in a playmaking role for the Saturday afternoon showdown against the world champions in Adelaide.
Matt Philip returns to the starting second row, Allan Alaalatoa replaces Taniela Tupou as starting tighthead prop, Hunter Paisami replaces Lalakai Foketi at inside centre, and on the bench hooker Dave Porecki and prop Scott Sio return from injury.
The Wallabies suffered their biggest defeat to Argentina a fortnight ago, losing 48-17 in San Juan.
“It’s great to have a number of experienced players back in the mix this weekend,” Rennie said. “We understand that respect is earned daily and we get an opportunity to earn it against the current world champions on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s really motivating to be back at home in front of our supporters, especially in Adelaide, a place we haven’t played at in 18 years.”
WALLABIES LINE-UP
Wallabies team to play South Africa at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, on Saturday 3pm (ACST).
1. James Slipper (c) (119 Tests)
2. Folau Fainga’a (30 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (56 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (30 Tests)
5. Matt Philip (24 Tests)
6. Jed Holloway (2 Tests)
7. Fraser McReight (4 Tests)
8. Rob Valetini (23 Tests)
9. Nic White (52 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (12 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (47 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (18 Tests)
13. Len Ikitau (17 Tests)
14. Tom Wright (14 Tests)
15. Reece Hodge (57 Tests)
Replacements
16. David Porecki (3 Tests)
17. Scott Sio (71 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (42 Tests)
19. Darcy Swain (13 Tests)
20. Rob Leota (10 Tests)
21. Pete Samu (24 Tests)
22. Tate McDermott (17 Tests)
23. Andrew Kellaway (14 Tests)
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Originally published as Rugby news: Rob Valetini wants to do his family and country proud