
Rugby-Hometown boy Valetini hungry for Lions after enforced absence
BRISBANE (Reuters) -Wallabies loose forward Rob Valetini said he cannot wait to get stuck into the British & Irish Lions at the weekend with his return from injury all the sweeter for the fact the second test is in his hometown of Melbourne.
In the absence of Valetini, Australia's best player for the last couple of years, the Wallabies were bullied off the park by the Lions in the first hour last Saturday before fighting back to lose the first test by eight points.
Valetini and lock Will Skelton both missed the warm-up match against Fiji and the Brisbane test with calf injuries but are fit to bring a bit more bulk to Australia's pack for Saturday's clash at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"There's a lot of hunger to get out there, missing the last two games was quite hard for me after playing most Wallabies tests for the last two years," the 26-year-old told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.
"The Lions only come along every 12 years and I'll be almost 40 next time they come. But more than that, it's the hunger for the jersey.
"It'll be awesome, I'm Melbourne born and bred, I'll have all my family there and to play in front of them will be awesome."
Valetini dismissed the idea that Australia's lack of physicality in the first half in Brisbane means he will be carrying a huge weight on his shoulders on Saturday.
"I don't really feel pressure or anything like that," he said.
"I feel like it's just another game of rugby, something I've been playing since I was young. I just want to go out there and do my job. Whether it's carrying or tackling, I just want to do my bit for the team."
Lions coach Andy Farrell credited his powerful back row of Jack Conan, Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne with putting the tourists firmly on the front foot in Brisbane, and Valetini said he was looking forward to getting amongst them.
"I was watching on the sidelines and all three were pretty involved, big boys and they did their jobs well," he said.
"I was eager to get on the field, but couldn't. But yeah, that's the challenge for us this week, knowing what's coming and being prepared for it."
There will also be a reunion for Valetini at the MCG when he comes up against another Melbourne-born player in Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu.
"I played through all my grades growing up with Sione, he was the guy you wanted to be in rugby in Melbourne ... and I was pretty shocked when he had to leave (Australia)," Valetini said.
"It's been a wild journey for him to be able to come back here and play for the Lions against us. It'll be pretty cool to play against him and I'll probably try and get one up on him."
Prop James Slipper, who played in the second-test victory over the Lions in Melbourne which levelled up the 2013 series, said he was delighted to have Valetini back on board.
"His size definitely helps," the 36-year-old grinned. "Nah, Bobby's a really good player, he gives a lot of boys around him a lot of confidence just the way he goes about his business."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Lions boss treats son Owen Farrell like any other player, says coach
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - British & Irish Lions v Argentina - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - June 20, 2025 British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo MELBOURNE (Reuters) -The familial bond between head coach Andy Farrell and playmaker son Owen looms large over the British & Irish Lions as they prepare for the second test against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. However, the dynamic between the pair has been strictly professional since Owen's late call-up into his father's squad, according to Lions scrum coach John Fogarty. Owen Farrell missed out on selection for the first test win in Brisbane but the former England captain has been named in the reserves for the clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Farrell and his father have shared plenty of change-rooms, including during the Lions' 2013 tour of Australia, when Andy was defence coach and Owen came off the bench to help the tourists win the third test decider in Sydney. The family ties make for an interesting sub-plot as the pair could celebrate another series win at the MCG on Saturday. In the team environment, though, their special relationship is virtually imperceptible, said Fogarty. "When we're training or when we're in a rugby setting, there's no difference between any player and Owen," Fogarty told reporters on Friday. "It's just the same relationship as any player and coach. If you didn't know it was his son, you wouldn't really get it. "You wouldn't really think he was his son. He doesn't treat him in any way differently. "They're two professionals." The coach's decision to call up Owen as a replacement for injured fullback Elliot Daly proved polarising despite the flyhalf/centre's leadership and experience of three previous Lions tours. Farrell had, after all, not played a test for England since 2023 and endured an injury-blighted season with French club Racing 92. But few have questioned the 33-year-old's selection for the Melbourne test following his strong, 80-minute performance at inside centre in the mid-week win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Farrell's versatility and experience could prove valuable for the Lions on Saturday should the test prove tight and tense deep into the second half. The players will hear a familiar voice out on the field. "He has huge respect from the other players," Fogarty said. "When he talks, he talks sense, like his dad. "There's similarities between the two of them. They're natural leaders. That's very visible when they both interact with players." (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Kim Coghill)


The Star
19 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Wallabies confident with return of leaders Valetini and Skelton, says captain
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Ireland v Australia - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 30, 2024 Australia's Rob Valetini in action as he is tackled by Ireland's Bundee Aki REUTERS/Lorraine O'sullivan/File Photo MELBOURNE (Reuters) -The return of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton has given the Wallabies a boost of confidence before their bid to win the second test against the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne on Saturday and square the series, captain Harry Wilson said. Loose forward Valetini and lock Skelton will add weight and power to Australia's starting 15 after calf injuries forced the pair to miss the 27-19 defeat by the Lions in the Brisbane opener. "You get a lot of confidence when you have two people with their experience and their presence coming to your side," Wilson told reporters at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. "It always does give you a lot of confidence and they're two real leaders in the group and having them back in such a big match is really exciting for us. "I think Bobby loves playing for Australia, so he's missed two games this year, which he hasn't missed many over the last five or six years, so he's really excited," added Wilson of Melbourne native Valetini. "He's had a really good week's prep, his body's looking good and I know he loves playing here in Melbourne, so he'll be fired up." Despite the tight scoreline in Brisbane, Australia were well beaten by the Lions in the collisions while affording their ball-carriers too much time and space in the first hour, making the hosts' bench-led comeback too little, too late. With wet weather expected, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has named six forwards on his bench, which Wilson said would give the starting pack freedom to go hard early. "We want to impose ourselves physically," said Wilson. "We want to back our skills and we just want to go out there and start fast, which (with) a 6-2 bench means another person gets to go off the field. "So, more reason to go out there, start fast, throw your body around, knowing there's some quality bench players that come in and finish." The third and final test in the series takes place in Sydney on August 2. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)


New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- New Straits Times
WUG 2025: Azeem fails to make 200m final, admits not ready for two events
BOCHUM (Germany): National sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi failed to qualify for the men's 200-metre (m) final at the 2025 Rhine-Ruhr World University Games (WUG) in Lohrheidestadion here early Friday morning Malaysian time. The 21-year-old Auburn University student clocked 21.51 seconds (s), slower than his first-round time of 21.26s set yesterday. South Africa's Bayanda Walaza, who claimed the 100m title, maintained his strong performance by topping the heat with a time of 20.76s, followed by Adria Medero of Spain (20.77s) and Christopher Ius of Australia (20.85s). Speaking to reporters after the race, Muhammad Azeem admitted to suffering from fatigue after competing over four consecutive days, including the 100m event. "I still ran today to prove that I belong here, and I want to compete, not just participate. After today's race, I realised my body's condition isn't ready to handle two events in one meet. "But this is a good preparation for 2026 because I plan to run in both the 100m and 200m. The vision is clearer now, so I wouldn't say I'm disappointed because I know this isn't my main event," he said. According to Muhammad Azeem, this was his first time competing in two events at a single meet since his school days. "It's definitely tough. If you look at it, only Walaza is doing well in both events, and the rest specialise in the 200m. "For me, the 200m is a good race because it helps improve my 100m, especially in terms of top-end speed. That's why my coach and I are planning to focus on both events next year," said the Teluk Intan-born sprinter. Muhammad Azeem's personal best for the 200m stands at 20.79s, which he set in April at a championship in Florida - his sole appearance in the event this year before WUG. His personal best is just 0.02s behind the national record of 20.77s held by Russel Alexander Nasir Taib. Next, Muhammad Azeem, who finished fourth in the 100m, will join the national 4x100m relay squad for the heats scheduled for early Saturday Malaysian time. Meanwhile, the national mixed 4x400m quartet of Umar Osman, Muhammad Aidil Azhar Azrul Hisyam, Nurul Aliah Maisarah Nor Azmi and Chelsea Cassiopea Evalli Bopulas missed out on a place in the final after finishing last in heat two of round one with a time of 3 minutes 31.72s. In badminton, Malaysia's Eogene Ewe and Wong Ling Ching advanced to the singles quarter-finals after victories in the round of 16 at the Westenergie Sporthalle in Mulheim an der Ruhr. Eogene beat Thailand's Wongsup Wongsup-In 15-12, 15-9 to set up a clash with Ting Yen Chen of Taiwan, while Ling Ching defeated compatriot Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi 15-3, 15-12 to face India's Devika Sihag next.