Rugby Australia are looking to double-down on the success of luring former NRL star Marika Koroibete to the code by targetting one of his teammates, Suliasi Vunivalu.
Vunivalu is contracted with the Melbourne Storm until the end of 2020 season and has been offered a deal that would see him switch to rugby union and be contracted through till the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
However, it’s believed that the Storm may consider allowing Vunivalu to leave the club a year early, as a means of freeing up salary cap space.
It’s believed Vunivalu has already met with Rugby Australia officials and if he does make the switch would appear a shoe-in to become a regular feature of the national team.
He is weighing up his career options and is also being courted by clubs overseas, which could offer him more lucrative deals.
Of course, playing the game in Australia would have the lure of allowing Vunivalue the chance to play for the national team, which may prove more swaying.
Vunivalu has scored 72 tries from 94 appearances for the Storm.
Melbourne’s Josh Addo-Carr said, regarding the rumours, that Vunivalu would be a big loss not just to the Storm but the NRL as the best in his position.
“He’d be a very big loss to rugby league,” said Addo-Carr.
“In my opinion, he is the best winger in the game.
“You’ve just got to give him the opportunity to score some points, I don’t think us as a team did that.
“He’s big and strong and he does a lot of yardage carrying out. He’s good at scoring points in the air, too.”
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Yeah I’m sure the RLIF thought the 9s were going to outshine the RWC. As a sane person I’d assume it had more to do with it being the only time they could have it this calendar year. Before the tests and after the regular seasons.
Rob9
Roar Guru
“Half the Wallabies can barely speak English and they wouldn’t have made finals without them” Check yourself Nat. Of the RWC 31, there are 3 players that weren’t either born here or went to school here. We’re a multicultural nation (1 of 4 of us born OS) and the breadth and depth of races making up our national rugby team is something to be celebrated. You’ve framed it poorly here. Well done.
Tah-Man
Roar Pro
Is a lack of outside backs the Wallabies main issue? I really don't think so.
Nat
Roar Guru
He was a good player Eddy, I'm not surprised all the tier 2 countries he has a family connection to were chasing him. That's significantly different to a tier 1 country picking the eyes out of minnow countries just to step up to average. They just beat Georgia while Fiji pumped them FFS. Half the Wallabies can barely speak English and they wouldn't have made finals without them. RU may have a greater international presence but Aust are not respected participants.
Macho
Guest
Koribete played Union in his youth surely coming from Fiji
macho
Guest
Better still grab those boys with Lebanese grandfathers out of Canterbury Cup with zero residency and let them chop and change between counties eg Eddy Pettybourne born In Sydney played for NZ, USA and Samoa
Joe
Roar Rookie
Vunivalu will take to Union far better than Koroibete having played it in his youth. I'm betting he will be in a Wallabies jersey in the same year that he decides to switch. I just hope he goes to a good Super team with a good coach.
Macho
Guest
Big D ( D for xxx) Do you understand you can still play o/s and for the Wallabies as well which players have done. There is more money o/s and league but despite your badmouthing Rugby keeps going. 2m paying big yen spectators at Rugby World Cup and RL efforts to undermine it by having Nines against it appears to have been less than a success.
Macho
Guest
This is the problem with some Rugby League people - they think these players from the islands and NZ arrive here as RL players and have no idea of their backgrounds eg " Sivo only took up the RL game a few years ago" without no mention of his RU background - I don't blame them per se but its the RL marketeers who have a brief acquaintance with the facts - don't they wonder how he learnt those Rugby skills and how to take contact. Reminds me of when Benji marshall arrived at Keebra park High school on RL scholarship - he was always that touch footy player from NZ in hundreds of articles (which was a surprise they would take a risk on someone unproven in contact sport) yet years later we discover that he was in the NZRU under 16 team. Similarly that NZ winger who broke his leg for the Storm who is now playing for the North Harbour or Auckland in the NPC - he was always that high jumper from NZ and never mentioned that I saw that he was a junior rugby player as well.
soapit
Roar Guru
i think it more that they arent eligible for origin so less likely to stick around in league (and dont only want to play for the ab's like the kiwi born options)
soapit
Roar Guru
switch to a sport with more contracts?
Superspud
Roar Rookie
I should have qualified it. It only applies to Wallabies.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Woeful this poaching the other code's players.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Paul, only since union became professional. Until then it wax one way traffic from union to league.
Over here
Roar Rookie
WHY?????????? :thumbdown:
Nat
Roar Guru
Too bad Aust isn't respected in that scene. Maybe they should just fill all positions with PI boys who've been in the country 3yrs, that's how you gain respect both locally and internationally is it?
Big Daddy
Guest
When you look at the amount of wingers that have gone to all blacks,French rugby and Japanese rugby why would you want to play for wallabies. No prestige in playing union in Australia. More money in playing overseas or league.
Macho
Guest
Tall and athletic but struggles under pressure which will be an issue in Rugby where you just cant take the tackle and start again. Rugby is joining league as being the home of "white flight"
Andrew
Guest
In my opinion, he is the best winger in the game. C'mon JAC! He is a solid player who had a very good first two seasons but he isn't even the best winger at the Melbourne Storm, much less the game. I think the Storm can see the decline and while putting up the appropriate polite amount of resistance, they will then let him go.
Bernie Vinson
Guest
The point was players like them that had a background in Union but there aren't many forwards who could convert easily as different skill set