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Reds hit with injury blow as star wing Suliasi Vunivalu set for sideline spell
By AAP
Queensland Reds trump card Suliasi Vunivalu could be out of action until the Super Rugby AU finals after injuring his hamstring in Saturday’s defeat of the NSW Waratahs.
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The former NRL premiership winger has made good strides since shifting from the Melbourne Storm and was on Sunday included in the Wallabies’ 40-man training squad to gather next month in preparation for tests against France in July.
Reds football boss Sam Cordingley said the strike weapon could be holstered for up to a month, with Vunivalu potentially only returning for the Reds’ final regular season game on April 23 ahead of the Super Rugby AU final.
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In a best-case scanrio, he appears set to miss Saturday’s game against the Melbourne Rebels and next week’s date with the Brumbies, which will be played in Brisbane unless COVID-19 restrictions demand otherwise.
“He’s got a minor hamstring twinge and it’s under management,” Cordingly said.
“It’ll be under a month at this stage; we’ve got pretty good medical staff that have brought players back in good time … hopefully between two and four weeks.”
Due to Brisbane’s three-day COVID-19 lockdown, the squad have remained in Sydney after Saturday’s 46-14 defeat of the Waratahs, who have since axed coach Rob Penney.
Cordingley said the team would train in Sydney before flying to Melbourne later this week.
