Wallabies 2020

[Joe Blow]

There is no way he gets capped this year. There are still several wing options who have not had a test and all that have deserve to be given more opportunity.
He was quoted after the NRL GF that he was having second thoughts. This might just be to help him get back on board?

 

[TSR]

There is no way he gets capped this year. There are still several wing options who have not had a test and all that have deserve to be given more opportunity.
He was quoted after the NRL GF that he was having second thoughts. This might just be to help him get back on board?

I agree it’s unlikely. I guess I can just see a scenario where it happens.

From what I read his comments after the GF were presented out of context by a league journo. There was another article which quoted at about the same time which made out that he said something along the lines of he considered rugby to be his true ‘home’. From memory they were both based on the same interview and the full interview was along the lines he loved the Storm and was sorry to be leaving but he was also very excited to be going back to rugby.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Just hope he amounts to expectations. I like what I see but not everyone is a Koroibete.

Koroibete turned out a huge success and to be frank expectations for the new storm winger are at least the same plus maybe higher because of Koroibete....I certainly think he is worth the risk reading all the nrl stuff on him (yeh read mungo ball now and again in the press despite not watching much mungo ball nowadays)...

Koroibete in terms of whether made right investment on initial signing was subject to the same scrutiny. Just remember that in case Vunivalu does not work out (despite probabilities saying good chance....ie nothing certain in life than death and taxes).

 

[TSR]

Koroibete turned out a huge success and to be frank expectations for the new storm winger are at least the same plus maybe higher because of Koroibete..I certainly think he is worth the risk reading all the nrl stuff on him (yeh read mungo ball now and again in the press despite not watching much mungo ball nowadays).

Koroibete in terms of whether made right investment on initial signing was subject to the same scrutiny. Just remember that in case Vunivalu does not work out (despite probabilities saying good chance..ie nothing certain in life than death and taxes).

I’m not sure Vunivalu is as good a league player as Koroibete was, but I am hoping that he will make up for it by having better rugby smarts/instincts.

 

[rugboy]

I rarely watch league these days but I’ve still seen enough to say very confidently this is not true. He’s very good. Whether it translates is another thing, but he’s been very good in league.

He definitely isn't the most polished player. His biggest area of concern is his defence and then errors. He tackle % is only 67%. Add to that the 14 try causes, 14 Line break causes and 20 errors in 17 games this year and he has some work to do to get to Koro, Wright, Daugunu and Ramm.

 

[Derpus]

He's getting 900k?

1.2 over two years - down from pre-covid 1.8 over two

 

[Adam84]

Vunivalu is a different player to Koroibete and Daugunu purely through the size and aerobatic skills he brings, maybe a little bit like Folau in this regard, he has a physical presence which will help for the high balls and getting across the advantage line. I see him as complementary to the likes of Daugunu and Koroibete.

 

[Ignoto]

He definitely isn't the most polished player. His biggest area of concern is his defence and then errors. He tackle % is only 67%. Add to that the 14 try causes, 14 Line break causes and 20 errors in 17 games this year and he has some work to do to get to Koro, Wright, Daugunu and Ramm.

I don't think one stat tells the whole picture. Koro has a tackle percentage this year of 73% for the Wallabies and 72% for the Rebels. In 2019 it was 70% and 69%.

BUT, if you watched how Koro missed those tackles, it was because it was covering someone elses missed tackle while the opposition was in full flight.

I trust Matt Taylor in the coming month or two will be giving him some extra homework on the system he's trying to implement.

 

[Viking]

I don't think one stat tells the whole picture. Koro has a tackle percentage this year of 73% for the Wallabies and 72% for the Rebels. In 2019 it was 70% and 69%.

BUT, if you watched how Koro missed those tackles, it was because it was covering someone elses missed tackle while the opposition was in full flight.

I trust Matt Taylor in the coming month or two will be giving him some extra homework on the system he's trying to implement.

But it wasn't one stat. It was 5 different stats put together which tells a story that he often gets caught out in defense.

I'm not sold on him.

Yet.

 

[Cancelled Account]

He definitely isn't the most polished player. His biggest area of concern is his defence and then errors. He tackle % is only 67%. Add to that the 14 try causes, 14 Line break causes and 20 errors in 17 games this year and he has some work to do to get to Koro, Wright, Daugunu and Ramm.

Defence in rugby is different to league. But coming from a rugby in his early years he should have this sorted and possibly better stats than in league.

 

[PhilClinton]

Is there potentially a move to protect the Wallabies investment here. Cap him so he can’t be tempted by selection for Fiji? I know many would be pissed off - but if they are going to give the guy $900k I’d could see logic in making 100% sure he was locked down

If there was any temptation to not play for the Wallabies, he would return to league. Fiji cant afford to pay him anything near what an NRL team could and a fair chunk of that 900k will be RA money.

 

[PhilClinton]

There has been more Vunivalu chat on the Reds thread for those doubting him. He was a fairly polished outside centre back in NZ before coming across to play league. Very different skill set to Koro. I agree I doubt he plays for the Wobs this year but if the bloke isn’t doing anything, why not get him training with the team, if he was some young squad player everyone would be excited for him getting the chance to train with the top guys.

 

[Brumbieman]

I’m not sure Vunivalu is as good a league player as Koroibete was, but I am hoping that he will make up for it by having better rugby smarts/instincts.

86 tries in 5 seasons isn't too bad...

 

[wamberal]

Let us all bear in mind that buying Vunivalu was not Rennie's decision. But given that he has been bought, Rennie will do his utmost to help him achieve his potential in our game.

 

[dru]

But it wasn't one stat. It was 5 different stats put together which tells a story that he often gets caught out in defense.

I'm not sold on him.

Yet.

A wing being caught out in D can easily be due to actions of others. Often pretty much last man standing. Winger tackle stats really do need to be analysed to fella picture. Does “5 different stats” achieve this? Maybe but not certainly.

 

[Rugby Head]

A lot of people seem to be throwing dirt on Vunivalu? Bringing him into the Wallabies camp is a perfect reintroduction to our game, watch him blossom and become a very dominant winger in the next few years.

 

[RugbyReg]

He definitely isn't the most polished player. His biggest area of concern is his defence and then errors. He tackle % is only 67%. Add to that the 14 try causes, 14 Line break causes and 20 errors in 17 games this year and he has some work to do to get to Koro, Wright, Daugunu and Ramm.

never heard of those stats before. Where'd you get them? What do they mean? Over how many games are included?

 

[Warpath]

Suli is a better league convert than Radradra was, before Suli went to league, he played 15's rugby for the strongest school in Auckland, he played a few positions including 6, 12 and wings, he was so good that he got drafted into the Auckland Blues development side at the age of 17, the ONLY reason he did not make the first step to super rugby was that the then Blues head coach John Kirwan was actually hellbent of getting rid of the last 3 fijians at the club and he knew he would not be picked so when he got a storm offer, he took it, mind you this was the era when Blues was poorly managed and players got scapegoated for the failure of the coaches.. the irony is when suli joined the storm as as kid, Koroibete was their star winger....and now he is joining the wallabies and guess who their star winger is..

the reason why i said suli was a better league convert is because Suli has played a lot of 15's game before moving to league,even at the top level, Radradra didn't, infact he has never played 15's rugby before he joined the eels, just 7's.. and right now Radradra is one of the best centres in world rugby in 15's..i personally think players who go from union to league and then come back to union have a better chance of success then those who have never played union but come this way (*cough* chambers, benji)

 

[Viking]

A wing being caught out in D can easily be due to actions of others. Often pretty much last man standing. Winger tackle stats really do need to be analysed to fella picture. Does “5 different stats” achieve this? Maybe but not certainly.

I agree with this. Stats don't tell the full story. Although I watched most of the NRL this year during covid, and I didn't anything from Vunivalu to show he is a good defender.

On the positive, he has a massive jump, speed, and can finish pretty well but that's also hard to judge because he gets a lot of easy tries at the storm.

In my view, he is a big unknown.

 

[Kevinsons]

A lot of people seem to be throwing dirt on Vunivalu? Bringing him into the Wallabies camp is a perfect reintroduction to our game, watch him blossom and become a very dominant winger in the next few years.

Totally agree. I think it makes a lot of sense from RU that they have him getting exposed as early as possible to their top line coaching team. Good chance to take a nice close look at their new acquisition. They did the same thing with Marika. Geez the Reds backline looks dominant for next year.