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'That's all fish and chip paper now': Troubled Vunivalu set for belated Super Rugby debut with Reds

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Former NRL flyer Suliasi Vunivalu is poised to make his Super Rugby AU debut for Queensland Reds off the bench in Friday’s clash with the Melbourne Rebels at Suncorp Stadium. The prized recruit was forced to sit out last weekend’s season-opening win over the NSW Waratahs after being stood down for one match and fined for allegedly striking a security guard in the face late last month.

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While the ex-Melbourne Storm winger will still have to go court in April, Reds coach Brad Thorn had no issues bringing 25-year-old Vunivalu straight into his team to face the Rebels. “Good to have him involved this week and obviously we were hoping it was last week,” Thorn said.

“I guess that’s all fish and chip paper now. He’s been preparing for Friday and I think a lot of people will be excited to see what he brings.”

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The Reds look ahead to their Super Rugby AU round two match

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The Reds look ahead to their Super Rugby AU round two match

Vunivalu has been named on the Reds bench along with another potential debutant in Sam Wallis, with Thorn making just one change to the starting line up that belted the Waratahs 41-7 last Friday. 

Thorn insists introducing Vunivalu off the bench was always his plan but added the performance of his backline against the Waratahs didn’t justify change for change’s sake.

“It’s definitely how I like to do it if someone’s coming in from an injury or new to the team. It just takes the pressure off,” he said.” You have also got to remember you’ve got Jordan Petaia and Filipo Daugunu, you’ve got Hamish Stewart and Hunter Paisami there. You’ve got Jock Campbell at the back. It’s not just a list that someone can walk into is it?”

In the one change to the run-on team, Taniela Tupou starts at tighthead prop with Feao Fotuaika to take on the job as a finisher from the bench.

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QUEENSLAND REDS: Dane Zander, Alex Mafi, Taniela Tupou, Angus Blyth, Seru Uru, Angus Scott-Young, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, James O’Connor, Filipo Daugunu, Hamish Stewart, Hunter Paisami, Jordan Petaia, Jock Campbell. Reserves: Josh Nasser, Harry Hoopert, Feao Fotuaika, Ryan Smith, Sam Wallis, Moses Sorovi, Bryce Hegarty, Sulisai Vunivalu.

https://twitter.com/SuperRugby/status/1362723686504034305

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J
JW 4 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

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