Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Rennie's glowing praise for former Fiji soccer prospect after impressive Wallabies debut

(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Image)

Filipo Daugunu has gone from Fijian soccer hopeful to Wallabies star after helping the Australians to a memorable Bledisloe Cup draw with the All Blacks in Wellington. The 25-year-old scored a crucial try in the 16-all draw to reaffirm Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s faith in handing him a debut in the cauldron of trans-Tasman rugby.

ADVERTISEMENT

Carrying on his superb Super Rugby AU form, Daugunu looked right at home at Sky Sports Stadium, keeping pace with fellow Fijian flyer Marika Koroibete, who was Australia’s other tryscorer.

Daugunu finished with a 108 metres from 11 runs, which was 44 more metres than any other player on the field.

Video Spacer

Wallabies | Bledisloe 1 2020 | Post match press conference

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      Wallabies | Bledisloe 1 2020 | Post match press conference

      His four tackles busts was also an equal game-high.

      “He’s going to get better and better – he’s a great athlete.

      “He’s an aggressive tackler and is great post-tackle so it’s exciting.”

      Daugunu represented Fiji in under-age soccer teams, while also played rugby and decided to make it his code of choice in his switch to Australia in 2016.

      He earned a Super Rugby contract in 2018 but only managed seven games last year after breaking his arm.

      But this season Daugunu was the leading try scorer in Super Rugby AU, and led the competition in runs, run metres, tackle busts, offloads and had the equal most line-breaks.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Australia’s other debutants also impressed, with No.6 Harry Wilson and outside centre Hunter Paisami also getting a Bledisloe Cup chance after big seasons with the Reds.

      “Harry, I thought was really strong, and Hunter had a great game for a young man who wasn’t even sure if he’d play Super Rugby this year and ended up starting in a Wallabies Test,” Rennie said.

      “There was a lot of guys who performed really well and we will build on that.”

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

      Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

      The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

      Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Features

      Comments on RugbyPass

      S
      Solenn Bonnet 8 days ago
      Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

      My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

      CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

      EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      WhatsApp.. +15617263697

      website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      Telegram.. +15617263697

      0 Go to comments
      LONG READ
      LONG READ Opportunity knocks for 'new warriors' in Springboks squad Opportunity knocks for 'new warriors' in Springboks squad
      Search