‘He’s got no fear’ – Australia pin hopes against Lions on powerhouse Valetini

Second Test match between Australia and the British and Irish Lions

Melbourne Cricket Ground Date: Saturday, July 26; Time: 11:45 BST

Sione Tuipulotu is pictured in the back row of an old team photo, proud of his accomplishments.

When Tuipulotu, who was born and raised in Melbourne, was a member of Victoria’s Under-12 state team, he was now a Lion.

More than 15 years later, he is simple to pick out thanks to his strong build and ready smile.

However, the boy in front of him is less immediately identifiable.

Rob Valetini, the Wallabies’ greatest second-Test hope, stares out of the same frame despite having shorter hair and a slimmer frame.

This weekend, Valetini and Tuipulotu could have been on the same side with a few sliding doors prepared.

Similar to Tuipulotu’s family, one side of Valetini has Scottish ancestry. In the 19th century, diplomat Captain William Sinclair was stationed in Fiji and is now buried there.

However, a path to Britain and Ireland has recently opened up on his father’s side.

According to Valetini’s father Manueli, “I was supposed to play for Bath in England.”

Before Levani Botia pulled the same trick, Manueli was a quick, powerful runner who could play both in the back row and the center.

When Bath offered to sponsor a move to the other side of the world in 1985, he had played for one of Fiji’s regional teams against the Wallabies and was a member of the national team.

“It was very near to happening, but my father told me you had better go to Australia or New Zealand, not England.”

Manueli chose Harlequins, a team that plays in south-eastern Melbourne rather than south-west London, as their replacement.

A family dynasty was established there. Sixth son of Manueli and Finau’s eight children, Rob is the youngest of them all. All the boys would play rugby for Harlequins on weekends.

He was always very strong for his time, Manueli, one of his youngest, recalls.

He doesn’t fear anyone, Robert, he says.

Valetini, who was five years old, would go home from school on Friday and put on his Harlequins kit the following day to get ready for action on Saturday morning.

Valetini still had rugby in his mind when he was 12 years old and was tasked with writing about his future plans.

He stated, “When I grow up, I want to play rugby for Australia.”

During his time at Melbourne Harlequins, John Carey served as one of Valetini’s coaches.

You now associate him with being very physically, but that was the case even when he was just a very young age, Carey says.

We played touch-a-dead when we were under eight years old. It was a tackle when you had two hands on your hips.

However, you would always have the tackle bags ready at the end of the season so that the children who were making full contact could begin to practice.

“You’d get parents to hold the tackle bags, and you’d usually have these little kids who just slam ‘n”’.

“But none of the parents wanted Rob to have his tackle bags in his hands. Even so, he hit the tackle bags very hard.

Every night, the family would play rugby full-on tackle, so he quickly adapted to being tackled by much bigger kids.

Valetini’s brother Kemu, who is four years older than Rob, plays fly-half for Super Rugby’s Drua, while his brother, who is three years older, plays wing for French Pro D2 side Colomiers before his career was ended due to injury.

However, Rob is the player with the most success.

He suffered a minor calf strain last weekend, which prevented him from playing for the Wallabies in Brisbane’s first-test match.

If the hosts want to reclaim the series, he has won the John Eales medal, which was given to Australia’s best player for the past two seasons. His return is crucial.

Carey is aware of the emotion.

He recalls that Rob always played a key role in our team.

“But because he was the youngest, it was going to be Rob if someone in the family wasn’t going to play a game over the weekend.”

So I would always go to Fi and Manu for midweek training and offer to give him a lift just in case he didn’t arrive on Saturday.

Valetini chose to stay in union and sign for the Brumbies in Canberra at age 17 after being scouted by NRL side Melbourne Storm. When he was still a student, he was the second player to ever sign a full-contract with an Australian Super Rugby team.

The biggest of his 53 caps so far will be on Saturday, back in his hometown.

15 members of his family will be present in the crowd, reviving the cheers an infant Valetini chanted from the stands during their games.

“We are going to watch it all, including the nieces and nephews,” says mother Finau.

The family will enjoy watching him play at the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] in pride.

“But I think it’s most of Rob’s proudest moment because he plays for the British and Irish Lions every year and has always been one of his goals,” he said.

He enjoys playing for the Wallabies and watching Test matches.

He won’t just be cheering on by a family of 15; they’ll also.