Suliasi Vunivalu makes call on NRL return after brutal Wallabies and Super Rugby snub
Vunivalu prefers a move to France to continue his rugby career over a return to the NRL.
Suliasi Vunivalu won't be making a return to the NRL despite being left out of the Wallabies and Queensland Reds' Super Rugby squads. A two-time premiership winner with the Storm before making a high-profile move to rugby in 2021, Vunivalu quickly became one of the highest-profile names in the sport.
But in recent months the 28-year-old has fallen out of favour with both Australian coach Joe Schmidt and with his Super Rugby side, the Queensland Reds. And Vunivalu is now set to embark on a new journey, but not in the NRL. The high-profile flyer is expected to be granted an immediate release from his Rugby Australia contract to continue his career in France.
The code-hopping winger has been heavily linked with Test lock Will Skelton's French club La Rochelle despite rumours that he may head back to rugby league. And with Vunivalu turning 29 later this month, it is almost certain rugby league fans will not see the two-time premiership winner back in the NRL again.
Vunivalu showed terrific early signs in his debut rugby campaign in 2021 before hamstring issues dented his confidence and took the wind out of his return to the sport he played as a kid. But the Fijian-born talent returned with a bang and earned a call-up to the Australian team.
But following Australia's Rugby World Cup failure, Vunivalu’s stocks have plummeted at club and international level. His 40-game, 18-try Reds stint came to a sour conclusion, hit with a one-game suspension after he was sent off for two tripping incidents in a crushing Fiji homecoming last season.
And ahead of the new Super Rugby season, Vunivalu faced stiff competition for a spot in a stacked Reds outfit on the back of teenage winger Tim Ryan's emergence last season. This week the decision was ultimately made to not include him in the Reds top squad, although he is far from the only high-profile absentee from the Queensland side's team for next year, with excitement machine Jordan Petaia also left out.
Vunivalu also wasn't part of Schmidt's Wallabies squad or even the Australia A squad currently touring Europe. With a further 34 players part of the Wallabies squad on a grand slam tour of the UK and Ireland, it meant that the winger was not deemed worthy of a spot among Australia's top 64 players. And without a spot at club or international level, the Fijian-born winger has decided to seek a fresh start in French rugby.
Do the Wallabies dare to dream of a British Isles 'grand slam'?
Meanwhile, Wallabies coach Schmidt promptly shut down any premature talk of Australia securing its first British Isles 'grand slam' in 40 years despite shocking the rugby world by snatching an incredible last-gasp victory over England last weekend. Few gave Schmidt's men any hope of toppling England at their Twickenham stronghold after just one victory in the previous 11 Test matches against the old enemy.
But Australia looked like the Wallabies side of old as they scored a 42-37 comeback win. On the back of the incredible victory, the prospect of a dramatic grand slam is no longer such a distant pipedream. But Schmidt isn't getting ahead of himself. "The grand slam may still be alive," acknowledged Schmidt after the win. "But we won't look too far ahead."
RELATED:
Wallabies player's confession after being shifted for Joseph Suaalii
Matty Johns delivers reality check for Reece Walsh in big Broncos call
Detail emerges in Ezra Mam saga as lawyer slaps down new theory
The Wallabies will next face Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, a side who dismantled them at last year's World Cup. However, the Aussies will be buoyed by not only their dramatic triumph over England but also the fact Wales lost their last 10 Test matches, most recently losing 24-19 to Fiji on Sunday If the Wallabies can pass the Wales challenge they will be halfway to their goal of emulating the Mark Ella-inspired class of 1984. To complete the 'grand slam' Australia then would have to topple Scotland and Ireland, which is a monumental task.
with AAP
