Super Rugby Pacific: Suliasi Vunivalu fully focused on return to action with the Reds

Reds flyer Suliasi Vunivalu has revealed he wants to stay in rugby union but won’t make a decision on his future until he is back to his best again on the field.

The former rugby league star has returned to full training with the Brisbane-based outfit after recovering from his hamstring issues that required two operations.

The 26-year-old is fully focused on making his comeback in the Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Rebels in Melbourne on April 15 and wants to show that he can still do the business in the 15-a-side code.

Vunivalu only made seven appearances for the Reds in 2021 and a brief period at a training camp with the Wallabies ended with an injury.

His contract with the Reds ends in 2022 and there have been rumours of a possible return to the 13-man code with NRL newbies the Dolphins. Legendary rugby league coach Wayne Bennett is coaching the Dolphins and is said to be interested in acquiring Vunivalu’s services, but Bennett does not have a track record of spending huge amounts of money on wingers.

“I’d like to stay in rugby but I’m not going to make any decision (on 2023) until I’m back on the field and have played three or four games,” Vunivalu told Rugby Australia’s official website.

In his first interview since it was revealed that he might return to the NRL, Vunivalu said he is only focusing on playing for the Reds again.

“I ran at full pace last week. I’m back in the main training group with contact and I’ll be fit to play after the Brumbies game on Saturday,” he explained.

“I had a lot of scans on the hamstring before the doctors gave me the thumbs up in January to run fast again. It’s exciting.

“I never want to be talking about my hamstring again. Scoring tries, catching kicks…that’s my job.”

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