‘I left it all out there’: Vunivalu eyeing a spot in starting line-up against Georgia

August 29, 2023
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Ultimate Rugby

Suliasi Vunivalu is eyeing a potential starting spot against Georgia in Australia’s opening World Cup match after a career-best cameo against France that will give Eddie Jones a selection “headache” in coming days.

Jones pulled a major surprise by picking Vunivalu to start on the wing against South Africa in the opening match of the Rugby Championship in early July but it didn’t go to plan, with the former Melbourne Storm winger exposed on several fronts.

Vunivalu wasn’t picked for Australia’s next three games but was brought in to start on the wing in Paris on Sunday after Jones opted to give Marika Koroibete a rest before the World Cup.

The 27-year-old scored his maiden Test try after beating three defenders – albeit late in the game when Australia were too far behind to mount a comeback – in a 41-17 loss at Stade de France.

On the other wing, Mark Nawaqanitawase continued his rapid rise at Test level with another strong showing. He made more metres (91) than any Wallabies player.

With Koroibete almost certain to return to the Wallabies starting XV for the match against Georgia on September 9, Jones will have to choose between Vunivalu and Nawaqanitawase for the other spot.

Nawaqanitawase has the inside running, given his consistent performances this year, but Vunivalu says he is “100 per cent” pushing to change Jones’ mind.

“If I put pressure on both of them, it makes them try and perform better,” Vunivalu said.

“Whatever is good for the team, I’ll back it. I want them to play good and whatever opportunity comes up, I’ll take it.”

Another cross-code star, former Wallabies and Kangaroos representative Mat Rogers, said picking outside backs would be tricky for Jones before the Georgia game.

“[Vunivalu] does give Eddie Jones a headache, doesn’t he?” Rogers, who played under Jones, said on Stan Sport. “He’s got three world-class wingers now in Mark, Suli and Marika.

“I think [Andrew] Kellaway was great at the back as well. It’s a good problem to have. [Vunivalu] backed himself from the start which was fantastic. He’s a great athlete.”

All year Jones has told Vunivalu to trust his natural ability, and finally the speedster is gaining confidence on the international stage.

“I thought I had a good performance out there. I trained well this week,” Vunivalu said.

“I thought I just needed that second game in me. I left it all out there and backed myself.

“Walking out at the captain’s run ... I couldn’t believe we were playing on this field. I was feeling pumped. I was confident. I knew I’d play well.”

Jones was pleased with what Vunivalu provided across 80 minutes, despite the result.

“At Super Rugby level, he couldn’t blow a candle out and at Test level he’s scored one good try and could have scored a couple more,” Jones said. “He looks like he’s ready to play at the highest level.”

The Wallabies will travel to Saint-Etienne on Wednesday – about three hours south of Paris on a train – where they will base themselves for a week before heading back to the nation’s capital to prepare for the Georgia fixture.

Of the nine World Cups Australia have taken part in, the men in gold have never entered the tournament coming off five consecutive losses.

The worst pre-World Cup record of the last 20 years came when Jones was in charge in 2003. Australia lost four of their five Tests in the lead-up – to England, South Africa and New Zealand (twice) – before rebounding to make the World Cup final against England in Sydney.

“There’s definitely going to be nerves [in the Georgia game] because there’s pressure on it,” Vunivalu said.

“We just need to go back and review this [France] game. We have a good connection with this group. The World Cup is anyone’s game.

“We’ve got it in us. We get ourselves in good positions but we just never execute. We either knock on or give the ball back. If we can go up there and get points out of it, we’ll be good.

“The boys are tight and we want to win. We’re doing our best.”