‘He’s good enough’: Rennie backs Vunivalu for debut after Wallabies squad call-up

Queensland Reds winger Suliasi Vunivalu has edged one step closer to a Test debut, with Wallabies coach Dave Rennie declaring the former NRL star ready for international rugby and showing “massive potential” ahead of next month’s blockbuster series against England.

Vunivalu was one of six uncapped players included in Rennie’s 35-man Wallabies squad on Sunday, which will converge on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday to prepare for the first Test against England in Perth on July 2.

Fifty-four Test Wallaby Reece Hodge was the biggest omission, paying the price for a “pretty scratchy start” to the Super Rugby Pacific season, and there was also no room for back-rower Fraser McReight, who Rennie said will benefit more from playing in Australia A’s Pacific Nations Cup matches in July.

Experienced Force lock Izack Rodda was not included due to a foot injury that could sideline him for up to three months.

Vunivalu trained with the Wallabies in late 2020 after switching codes from the Melbourne Storm before an injury-plagued 2021 spoiled any chance of earning a gold jersey. More hamstring issues cut short Vunivalu’s season this year, but he has been eye-catching for the Reds since returning in early April.

With Marika Koroibete certain to start on one wing, Vunivalu is poised to battle it out with incumbent winger Andrew Kellaway, plus Jordan Petaia and Tom Wright, for a place in Australia’s matchday 23.

“We genuinely believe he’s good enough to play at [international] level,” Rennie said on Sunday.

“We’ve picked him because there is massive potential and we think we can accelerate his development within the camp rather than leaving him outside that. He’s had his troubles with injury. We’ve seen glimpses of real quality. We’re keen to get our hands on him and hopefully accelerate that.”

Fellow NRL convert Israel Folau flourished on debut after being thrown into the Test cauldron by coach Robbie Deans for the 2013 British and Irish Lions series opener.

Then in 2017, Koroibete, who played an NRL grand final with Vunivalu for the Storm, announced himself on the world stage after scoring two second half tries in his run-on Wallabies debut against South Africa in Bloemfontein. Rennie wants to get bang for Rugby Australia’s buck with Vunivalu and he indicated a Test debut is a matter of when, not if.

“We’ve got 14 Tests this year, so there is a lot of footy to be played,” Rennie said.

The Wallabies are confident Brumbies centre Len Ikitau will be able to feature in the first Test against England.

Rennie said Ikitau will serve out the last match of a two-week suspension through a Canberra club rugby fixture.

Ikitau’s Brumbies were the big winners of Sunday’s announcement, with 15 of the 35 players selected. The Queensland Reds have seven representatives in the group, while the Waratahs have six players set to join Wallabies camp.

Captain Michael Hooper, Jake Gordon, Angus Bell and Izaia Perese return for Wallabies duty, while hooker Dave Porecki and second-rower Jed Holloway have earned selection for the first time.

“They’ve both been excellent,” Rennie said. “Jed is a big man with an excellent skill set. Dave is very good at set-piece and really good around the track. He ticks a lot of boxes. They’ve both taken the long journey here.”

The biggest surprise from a NSW perspective is the omission of Johnson-Holmes, who has been pipped by Rebels prop Pone Fa’amausili. However, Rennie said Johnson-Holmes will train with the squad in Queensland before Australia A duty. The Australia A squad will be named on Wednesday.

Rennie said Hodge’s exclusion was one of the tougher calls to make.

“Tough on Hodgey because he’s such a good man and as professional as you get,” Rennie said. “He had a pretty scratchy start to the season. To be fair his form has been mixed. We know what he brings. He’ll get a chance to go into the A program and get a bit more footy under his belt and keep putting pressure on us.”

Rennie has gone with five specialist back-rowers, plus Holloway, who the Wallabies coach believes is better suited to a No.6 or No.8 jersey than in the second row.

It sees McReight miss out, having been a mainstay of Wallabies squads over the past two years.

“Our thinking around him is we’re unlikely to have a specialist No.7 on the bench when you’ve got someone like a Pete Samu who can give you more cover,” Rennie said. “If [Michael] Hooper goes down, we know we could bring Fraser back. Him playing week in, week out in that Pacific Nations [tournament] will be good for him.”

With Rodda out of action, Rennie explained why he resisted the temptation to bring back a second-rower from France, such as Rory Arnold or Will Skelton.

“The issue with the French [based] guys is they play quarter-finals overnight,” Rennie said. “Just getting clarity on when they would be available to come in so late in the piece [was difficult]. Easier to leave those guys out of the England series and then maybe have a look at it post that.”

The six uncapped players in the squad are Fa’amausili, Nick Frost, Holloway, Cadeyrn Neville, Porecki and Vunivalu. On the injury front, Taniela Tupou is the main concern for the Wallabies. He is touch and go for the first Test with a calf injury.

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Eddie Jones’ England side arrive in Perth later this month.

“We know there will be no stone unturned from their camp,” Rennie said. “They’ll bring over a squad that will be really well prepared and it should be a hell of a series.”

“I think we’ve added a little bit of steel to the group. It’s a big series. We know that.”

Wallaroos go down to USA

The Wallaroos remain without a win in their Pacific Four Series campaign across the ditch after suffering a 16-14 loss to the United States.

Australia trailed 16-0 after 56 minutes before late tries from Georgina Friedrichs and Ashley Marsters reduced the deficit to two points.

Despite a late lift in intensity, the Wallaroos couldn’t find the extra points they needed as the USA sealed a narrow victory.

Australia’s women’s XVs side has never beaten the USA from six attempts. The teams first met in 1997.

The Wallaroos, who fell to New Zealand 23-10 in the first match of the tournament, face Canada on Saturday.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup begins on October 8.