Wallabies add another League star to their roster
TRI-NATIONS SQUAD NEWS: NRL premiership-winning star Suliasi Vunivalu will get his first taste of the Wallabies when he joins their training camp in the NSW Hunter Valley on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old called an end to Melbourne’s NRL grand final celebrations to focus on the next stage of his career, which is a return to rugby union.
The wing signed a two-year deal with the Queensland Reds and Rugby Australia.
While he’s highly unlikely to play a role in Australia’s remaining two Tri-Nations Tests against Argentina, the camp will be an initiation for Vunivalu.
His former Melbourne teammate Marika Koroibete trod the same path when he switched codes after the Storm’s NRL grand final loss to Cronulla in 2016.
Koroibete joined the Wallabies in Europe on their Spring tour although didn’t make his Test debut until September the following year and has since established himself as one of the side’s top performers.
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Fiji-born Vunivalu played rugby as a teenager and attended Saint Kentigern College in Auckland, which produced All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Jerome Kaino.
Vunivalu was spotted by the Storm and lured to Melbourne as an 18-year-old, and in his debut season in 2016 was the top try scorer in the NRL.
The Wallabies have already blooded two wingers through the Bledisloe Cup with Tom Wright scoring with his first touch against the All Blacks last Saturday, while Vunivalu’s new Reds teammate Filipo Daugunu has also impressed.
The Australians’ next match is against the Pumas at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on November 21.
💚💛 Welcome Wrighty! Wallaby no.939.#Wallabies #AUSvNZL #YourTeam #OurJourney pic.twitter.com/7go8VPYRUg
— Wallabies (@wallabies) November 9, 2020
