On 3^rd December 2019, Melbourne Storm’s Fijian Winger Suliasi Vunivalu signed a two year deal with Australian Super Rugby outfit the Queensland Reds. This continues a trend for Fijian Wingers in the NRL moving across to Rugby Union, in an attempt to bolster the current quality of Australian Domestic Rugby and, the national team – The Wallabies.

The deal is said to include a $1.8 Million dollar deal paid over the course of Two Seasons. The cross-code move mirrors Rugby Australia’s previous strategy to recruit big wingers with a junior Rugby Union background, and is a throwback to the days of Lote Tuquiri (himself Fijian-Australian) and Wendell Sailor in 2003, lining up on either side of the Wings for the Wallabies – a formidable sight indeed.

This time however, Vunivalu will line up alongside Australian Wallaby-Fijian sensation, Marika Korobeite –a product of the Melbourne Storm system and incumbent recipient of the John Eales Medal for the best Wallaby within a domestic and international Australian Rugby Union calendar year.

[Suli the right man?]

What is questionable about Vunivalu’s contract however is probably balanced by the Storm Wingers uncanny ability and mixed performances. Where the Wallabies knew what they would get in contracting Marika Korobeite, and Israel Folau (formerly also from the Storm) the same cannot be said about Vunivalu who can be brilliant aerially, but diabolical defensively, often seeing Craig Bellamy pull the hairdryer treatment during halftime hour in the NRL.

The NRL’s 2020 finals series has brought out the best of Vunivalu, who has been Swan diving his way to the try line and some brilliant individual performances. His attacking display against Jarred Croker against Canberra on Saturday night, set the stadium alight in Lang Park, Brisbane as a first half Storm blitz followed by some Vunivalu brilliance would have had Rugby fans purring.

Twitter: Vunilau tip toes towards the line. 

He does not possess the speed of Marika Koroibete nor the aerial hang time of Israel Folau, instead he his inconsistent performances will both burn and wow fans. So what can we the fans expect ? Flying knee tackles, dancing with the touchline, questioning the referee about the rulebook and inventing some of his own Rugby. A rocks and diamonds affair is what the Queensland Reds and Australian Wallabies can expect.

[Grand Final Week]

If you watched the National Rugby League’s 2020 Grand Final on Sunday you would have caught a glimpse of Vunivalus last game playing the great Rugby League. The Penrith Panthers, play maker and Halfback Nathan Cleary threw a floated pass that was snapped out of the air by Vunivalu – defusing a try saving 3 on 1 situation. After then being tackled to the ground, he reached a top speed of 33.5 km/hr before Swan Diving over the line – to leave Union fans licking there chops over next season’s Super Rugby comp. He was also busy in the middle of the park, playing as a ball running cannon as the storm were yellow carded to twelve men for the remainder of the game.

[Call up to Wallabies]

The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Vunivalu be made available for selection for Qantas Wallabies for the 2020 Tri-Nations Rugby series this year. This is coming fresh after 24-22 victory over All Blacks on Saturday evening. The Fijian will join coach Dave Rennie’s squad in the Hunter Valley to link up with the rest of his Wallabies teamates despite not playing a game of Rugby Union in over six years.

Vunivalu grew up learning the 15-man game at Auckland Saint Kentigern’s private school in New Zealand, as a junior. It was there he first made his name as a schoolboy Rugby superstar – first being signed by under Super Rugby’s Auckland Blues youth academy. It here where he was scouted by the Melbourne Storm, crossing-codes and linking up with their Toyota cup squad all before the age of 18.

Now aged 24, having spent six years playing Rugby League featuring in four NRL Grand Finals, winning two – the last one coming just weeks after an upset 26-20 win over the Penrith Panthers, The Fijian’s call up to the Wallabies could see him make his debut in Rugby just weeks after playing in an NRL Grand Final.

The Wallabies will play Argentina …