Suliasi Vunivalu has revealed how Dave Rennie’s training demands almost drove him out of rugby as he prepares to live up to new Wallabies coach Eddie Jones’ expectations.
The Queensland Reds winger will play his first game of the Super Rugby Pacific season in Melbourne on Sunday against the Western Force.
It will be just his 15th cap since the two-time NRL champion switched from the Melbourne Storm after the 2020 season, an ankle complaint keeping Vunivalu out of last week’s round one loss to the Hurricanes.
That came after constant hamstring injuries ruled him out of more than half of the Reds’ fixtures over the past two years.
Finally fit again last year, he spent the entire home Test season in Wallabies camp but played just three minutes in his sole appearance.
Former Australian coach Rennie had demanded Vunivalu go “balls out” in training to prove he was ready.
Suliasi Vunivalu. (Image: Supplied/Rugby Australia/Andrew Phan)
But Vunivalu was eventually dropped for the Wallabies’ tour of Europe and then not included in a 44-man squad that gathered the week before Rennie was replaced in January.
Vunivalu, who signed a one-year deal keeping him on Rugby Australia’s books until after September’s World Cup, detailed how that obsession with his pace had spooked him.
“Every interview (with Rennie) was just based on speed, speed, speed,” he told AAP on Friday.
“It put pressure on me; I started getting my technique wrong and I kept pulling my hamstring.
“I struggled mentally, dealing with serious back-to-back injuries for the first time, I didn’t have confidence getting back and running full speed.
“I’ve never been that guy, I never hit top speed until game day … I’d been focused too much on trying to get my speed back, I forgot about the footy.
“Now that’s behind me … I just want the footy in my hands again.”
Vunivalu was a rugby-playing child in Fiji and continued with his first love after moving to New Zealand before the Storm pounced.
The 27-year-old was honest when asked if he’d fallen out of love with the sport since the move to Ballymore.
“I was feeling like that in (Wallabies) camp. All I could see was that next week I would be holding pads again (and not playing) and I know some of the other Reds boys felt the same,” he said.
“We felt if we weren’t playing we’d rather come back and play club footy.
“I was being pushed down the line; it gave me head noise and I started thinking, “Am I supposed to be here?”.
Vunivalu enjoyed the Reds’ off-season tour of Japan and is aware of Jones’ praise, the coach telling AAP last week the winger’s “got it” and could jump the selection queue under his watch.
Jones also acknowledged Vunivalu’s concerns about over-training during the week, saying each player’s preparation should be different.
“It’s good to hear him say that and has the same thinking,” Vunivalu said.
“He’s had a history, likes his league players. But I’m not going to stick by that thinking it’ll be spoon fed to me,” Vunivalu said of Jones, who had NRL trio Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri in his 2003 World Cup squad.
“I have to put in work to get him to pick me.”
Faith
Roar Rookie
Why was this never an issue at the Chiefs and Glasgow? Ffs.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Skelton, he's so slow about the park he has to start next weeks game this week...:)
Captain Pugwash
Roar Rookie
Oh god, how pathetic...
Bob Moore
Guest
With a history of hamstring injuries of course Rennie, and any good coach, would expect a player to prove condition. What a sook.
Sualii Too
Guest
This is the reason why the WALLABIES are AVERAGE,BELOW PAR,ORDINARY etc etc Becuase the players are expecting a little less than what is expected. All respects to the brother BUT Dave Rennie came from a winning culture at the Wellington Lions,NZ U20,Chiefs etc. He doesn’t just become a AVERAGE,BELOW PAR,ORDINARY Coach just like that. It just shows that the depth and the thinking in AUSTALIAN RUGBY UNION hasn’t advanced since the days of yesteryear. Eddie John’s ain’t gonna make a difference cos the depth sucks.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Ulimate Force - SAS saying, train hard, fight easy. More at stake than his personal comfort/convenience. A total Dud while Mack Hansen went to Ireland.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Seems to be a default response for struggling/under pressure coaches to over do fitness.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Only happens in the recover stage.
Olly
Roar Rookie
I have no doubt he is a little delicate but the coach needs to adapt or they are just expensive walking wounded...not good for anyone. Reds over play there players. Just look at JOC last season... almost fell over walking back to kick with his tapped up knee giving way...he literally hobbled onto the field....clearly not fit to play.
Olly
Roar Rookie
I interpret that the pressure was coming to train harder from the head coach hence the meeting directly with DR. Professional sports, if you don't do what the head coach is saying you don't get picked and they don't get paid. The head coach with his staff under him need to manage this as players will push to get selected. It fundamentally comes back to the poor managment of players which has been a clear issue under DR.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I’d be interested in what you’ve seen, apart from the odd run, that tells you he deserves to be there. Not trying to be smart, just really interested in what others are seeing that I’m not. I absolutely get his league and school boy play that shows he’s a good athlete, but what has he done in senior rugby?
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Yes Drbx….in case 7 other wingers get injured!
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Bodger.. How do you know? Are you a player?
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
What….. does he want to play a bit of touch footy and walk into the Wallabies?
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
I’d be taking anything Tim Horan said with a grain of salt. The bloke is a dud … great player in the past…extremely poor commentator.
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Did you see Vunivalu in the Australia A games? Absolutely woeful. Eddie likes watching what players do off the ball… Vunivalu does zero. He’s a million to one to make the World Cup team.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You would have thought he would’ve learnt his lesson in 03 when he chose Mat Rogers over Chris Latham
Wooliej
Roar Rookie
He did show some magic moments when playing for the reds. Brad T was easing him into things, in a nurturing way (as he had been injured for so long). Maybe he wasn’t ready for Wallabies selection. Give him time to gain confidence and then we’ll see. I think in this interview he’s showing more of where he was at-not ready mentally-than anything else. Many here are just making assumptions.
James584
Roar Rookie
Rennie caused much damage to our players. The massive injury toll, mental and physical, is clear evidence of that.
:thumbup: