Queensland Reds winger Suliasi Vunivalu has suffered another setback in his return to rugby, having been ruled out of their match against Chiefs on Friday.
Coach Brad Thorn confirmed Vunivalu would be replaced by Filipo Daugunu in the starting lineup with Floyd Aubrey in line to make his debut from bench.
The club has been smashed by injuries in recent weeks with Jordan Petaia considered not fit enough to return with a hamstring issue, and James O’Connor out for the next month.
Vunivalu, a former Melbourne Storm NRL star, has suffered significant time on the sidelines with injury and only returned to action two weeks ago. He was poor last weekend and succumbed to hamstring issues agai.
Thorn said they had no choice but to be cautious.
“He has some tightness in his hamstring so we’re just making sure he’s in a good space with that,” Thorn told reporters.
“He was a short week (after playing on Saturday … better to be safe than sorry.
“We were looking to play him but (he felt) a little bit of tightness, so we’ve got to be smart about these things.”
News Corp reported Thursday that Vunivalu was the latest Super Rugby star to be on the radar of clubs in Japan and floated the idea that he could even play against the Wallabies for Fiji at the next World Cup.
Injuries have so far wrecked his chances of representing the Wallabies meaning his international eligibiity is still open.
It is a massive moment in the career of Aubrey, a high school star from Murgon in Queensland who went to boarding school at Marist College Ashgrove and knocked back offers from NRL clubs to stay in the Reds pathway.
He played with the Ashgrove-based GPS club and reportedly pursued a plumbing apprenticeship while training and playing in the Reds academy system.
All Blacks rotation has thrown up some interesting selections for the Kiwi teams’ Super Rugby Pacific battles against their Australian rivals this weekend and the Waratahs look to be a clear beneficiary.
The Crusaders are resting All Blacks No.10 Richie Mo’unga along with fellow Test players Ethan Blackadder, Braydon Ennor and George Bridge. The Crusaders have the depth to make up for the losses, however with Will Jordan and David Havili returning to the side that swamped the Rebels in the second half last weekend.
Mo’unga’s situation is intriguing, having sat out the opening two rounds of the season already.
The Blues are also affected with All Blacks Rieko Ioane, Hoskins Sotutu, Nepo Laulala and loose forward Tom Robinson heading home on rest duty, but the loss of those is more than made up by the return of Akira Ioane for his first appearance of the season and of Caleb Clarke after his three week suspension.
Akira Ioane returns at blindside flanker with the Blues on an eight game winning streak – the first time they’ve done that since 1997.
“It’s great to have him back. When you see him on the field he’s a real presence,” coach Leon MacDonald said. “He’s a great athlete, he’s moving really well and excited about getting back on the grass. It’s added some confidence to the team.
“He’s a proven performer. Last year we saw some performances from him that were game changing. Him at his best is as good as you can get in terms of his ball carries and defensive work. He’s also a leader in his own way. He’s a big part of the culture of the team so to have him back out there is huge for us.”
Also boosting the Blues for their match against the Force are captain Dalton Papalii, halfback Finlay Christie, front-rowers Kurt Eklund, Ofa Tuungafasi, Alex Hodgman, Luke Romano, Bryce Heem and Zarn Sullivan.
Special guestGreg Clark joins The Roar experts Harry Jones and Brett McKay to discuss Fijian Drua’s first season in Super Rugby. Stream here or in your podcast app of choice
Clarke, in particular, can’t wait to rip in.
“He’s done his time tough. He’s hated watching,” MacDonald said of Clarke. “Every day he’s been counting down to being available again so he’s pretty excited about playing this weekend.”
MacDonald defended the rotation policy.
“It’s always the challenge,” said MacDonald. “The simple answer is you can’t play the same 23 for 18 weeks in a row. It just doesn’t work like that. We’ve got All Blacks rests we have to get in so we’re trying to balance that and get cohesion but it’s also a good thing for us. As the season goes on you need players who are game ready if we get injuries.”
Veteran All Blacks loosehead prop Joe Moody has been ruled out for the rest of the year placing his international future in considerable doubt.
Moody ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the Crusaders’ loss to the Blues two weekends ago and the prognosis was confirmed by the club on Thursday.
The 33-year-old spent most of last Test season sidelined with plantar fasciitis and it will require a massive effort to comeback from surgery in time to make 2023 World Cup contention.
Last year Ian Foster picked George Bower, Ethan de Groot, Karl Tu’inukuafe as specialist looseheads during the extended of Australia, the United States and Europe and they are the likely candidates for the Ireland Tests.
Moana Pasifika’s CEO has refused to rule out seeking a forfeit from the Force after being left high and dry last weekend.
The team only learned on their arrival into Melbourne that the Force, with 25 players and staff affected by Covid, couldn’t field a team for the game.
The last-placed newcomers have been disproportionately hit by the virus – with four games affected and a stretch of six games in three weeks earlier this season.
Pelenato Sakalia told the Sydney Morning Herald he was in no rush to lock in a new date for the round 10 match. The Herald said “Sakalia did not rule out pushing for a forfeit from the Force, which is used in the UK Premiership and in other sports.”
“There is plenty of time in coming weeks for myself, SANZAAR, New Zealand Rugby and the Force to work through what are our options. Yes, rescheduling is an option people have put on the table,” he said.
The Roar Rugby podcast will return on Friday with a special edition talking to Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Maugher and two of the team’s stars.
There has been speculation in France that controversial Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu is about to sign for the Waratahs after his latest indiscretions in Europe.
The French report was unsourced and contained few concrete details, and a Latu return to the Tahs seems an obvious link to make.
It will be intriguing to see Darren Coleman’s view on a player ripped apart by the owner of his current club after receiving an 11-week ban this month.
Stade Francais owner Hans-Peter Wild told L’Equipe that Latu is still struggling with alcohol issues.
“We talk about discipline and Latu is still sent off against Racing,” he said.
“Latu is a problem… mostly an extra-sporting problem with alcohol. You have to admit it, otherwise you will never solve the problem.
“Latu spends more time off the field than on it and, with regard to young people, it is not a good example.
“He has to heal himself, reorganise his life. We can help him, but as with any addiction, Latu is like an elephant in your living room. To solve the problem, you have to take out the elephant and not take out the objects that break.”
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Chufortah
Guest
Said it at the time and ever since we signed Tequiri and co to annoy league…. stop signing NRL wingers for large amounts when you could get a better winger on any club playing too flight domestic rugby in Australia such as Shute Shield. Spend the money on recruiting forwards and developing monsters from junior levels - imagine how far that same $$$ would go developing the Western Sydney and Wildfire teams for example… Anyway, some sports administrator is more concerned with their ego and their own contract that making smart long term decisions. Good like to Suli, no doubt he’s a talent - I would never have signed him on that amount, but would heavily incentivise him… more stupidity from the ARU and Queensland.
Big A
Roar Rookie
Compared with letting a tier 2 rugby nation like Japan tell us what to do i think its the only hope for the game down here – 12 competitive teams with the money shared around for the greater good is the only hope – even bring in some Japanese teams that would work also – would raise the standard and keep youngsters from jumping to NRL if they had a chance to play in same sides as all blacks and if tbeyare really good there would be million dollar contracts waiting for them when they reached 22 – 23 years of age and play overseas as well – this would surely stem the flow of young guys to NRL and club players going overseas for $40k contracts
Billy Boy
Roar Rookie
While I agree Mo’unga is a star the rest of the backline is world class. Will Jordan & Jack Goodgue (?) are a step up from Bridge & Ennor IMO I agree 100% with your comments around spreading the talent amongst all 12 teams within a strict salary cap. Each country could nominate 40 players of national interest and they must play for their country club best Blues , Chiefs Reds, Brums etc. The rest should be able to play for any of the 12 franchises and remain eligible to play for their national side.
Big A
Roar Rookie
hey Billy - to quote the man - The Crusaders are resting All Blacks No.10 Richie Mo’unga along with fellow Test players Ethan Blackadder, Braydon Ennor and George Bridge. The NRL has a thing called the salary cap and the AFL has another transfer system to spread the talent around - albeit the big clubs rort the salary cap. The only future around this part of the world is for the kiwis to start spreading the talent around with some sort of salary cap system - i mean whats the point in the Saders winning every time and hoarding all of the talent. The Kiwis need to understand that without AUS teams competing there will be no game in 20 years in this part of the woods - they need to get their head out of the sand and see the bigger picture
Phil
Roar Rookie
You’re missing the point.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Weak on the wings.
Geoff
Guest
They only beat drua twice force twice and rebels, they cant beat good teams. Porecki is not a good hooker and he should not be Wallaby hooker if he cant compete against rival hookers in better teams who have performed much better than him. The top Brumbies hookers and rookie Nasser towelled him up bigtime.
Geoff
Guest
Neve fear Ferret , Hammer Hanigan, Herman Holloway and Hitman Swinton are all in Rennies plans moving forward as they are the best 3 in oz for that hybrid 6/lock cover. It`s going to be tough for Dave Rennie to leave one of them out of his best 23.But rest assured, if someone needs a rest he will rotate all three of them through the tests in 2022. A far Superior player like like Seru Uru will be the forgotten man.
Geoff
Guest
but but but, the tahs have dynamic Wallaby defensive centres Foketi and Perese, how can they be destroyed?
Chris
Guest
Yeah naaaah .The impact of him getting sent off impacted the Wallabies for the rest of the game. They lost.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
The NRL forces ALL SOO players to rest the week before the games. Not allowed to play club games 10 days earlier.
Tez
Roar Rookie
Latu .... an illdisciplined alcoholic .... who would want him? Certainly not the Tahs. This report originated in France with absolutely no evidence locally.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Ferrett I think you are reading to much into it. The Saders have 8 ABs in their team plus an Argie. Also ABs have been having a match off or coming on from the bench all season so its not just the game v tahs but has also been done during the NZ part of the comp. And Aus teams do it v themselves too. If they dont they are being dumb and I remember a Reds v Force game last year where Reds changed 9 from the previous week so its part of rugby.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
I doubt they would go back to him but yes he is playing very well atm.
Billy Boy
Roar Rookie
Big A did you actually look at the Crusaders teamed named to play.
JC
Roar Rookie
Ramm is eligible to play for England too. So may not return. But even if he plans to come back, it still stings given all the support he’s had from the Tahs, which has not been repaid.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I was thinking he might have Kellaway as his model. I guess so. Still a little peeved
Mo
Guest
But ramm is almost no chance of rwc next year. So doing a kellaway makes alot of sense. Get paid 4 times as much and improve your game. Come back for a shot at 2027
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Love his passion. Love anyone who goes out there and gives their best. I don’t blame him for not being a test quality 6. He gives 110% every game. I blame Cheika for thawing him in to early and leaving a bad taste in our mouths. He might be the complete package now but will never get a fair shake from people like me because of his wallabies call up to early. His is also behind Liam Wright, Uru and Leota in pecking order so if he gets another wallabies call up I’m going to punch myself in the face.
Mo
Guest
I think hanigan is a good player with a big heart. Good enough to cut it at test level but behind guys like Wilson and Swinton.