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Wallaby Pone Fa'amausili open to shifting from front to back row

Pone Fa'amausili during a Wallabies training session ahead of the Rugby World Cup France 2023, at Stade Roger Baudras on September 14, 2023 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Man mountain Pone Fa’amausili is open to dropping weight to play in the Melbourne back-row as he seeks more Super Rugby Pacific game time.

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The Wallabies World Cup bruiser has been unable to force himself into the Rebels match day squad so far this season, finding himself behind fellow tighthead props Taniela Tupou and Sam Talakai in the pecking order.

The 27-year-old helped Melbourne prepare for last week’s clash with Queensland, which they lost 53-26, by pretending he was hard-running Reds No.8 Harry Wilson.

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Fa’amausili said he enjoyed taking on the role, harking back to 2019 when he played there for the Rebels.

“It was good fun, I even had the red head-gear on,” he told AAP.

“People have forgotten that I did play at eight in 2019, I played three games.

“I’d 100 per cent be open to playing there again, but I think I’d have to lose at least 10 kilos – I’m 135 at the moment, so I just need to be disciplined and make the right choices with food.”

Melbourne coach Kevin Foote said there would be personnel changes in his side to face the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night, although Fa’amausili wasn’t sure if that signalled he was in for a call-up.

“Sammy (Talakai) is really important to our leadership team and what Nela (Tupou) brings no one else can do, so I’ve just got to bide my time,” Fa’amausili said.

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With the financially stricken Rebels’ place in the competition beyond this year in major doubt Fa’amausili admitted not playing added another layer of uncertainty.

Fa’amausili was part of Monday’s ticket launch at the MCG for next year’s British and Irish Lions tour – but with a background in rugby league, NRL clubs could also be circling the giant forward.

“I’m not going to lie, with everything happening in the background we have to look after our own backyards at some stage,” he said.

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“But at the moment we’re just focused on trying to play every game as it comes and perform well.

“I just hope that when I do get a chance I come out and show what I do best.”

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1 Comment
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mJ 485 days ago

He doesn’t have the fitness capacity.

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P
PM 32 minutes ago
Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start

I have been following Lions tours for the last 30 odd years and I can’t remember one feeling as flat as this one, so your damp squib comment is a fair one.


I think there are a few reasons for this;


1) The opposition isn’t that strong this tour and hasn’t generated the normal excitement and uncertainty for the tests, most people are expecting 0-3 (which has never happened in living memory before).


2) The growing discontent within the fan base at the number of “outside BIL “ born players in the squad is a growing issue. The import issue has reached saturation point with some fans and is a bit negative element to this tour (will improve as nation switching becomes harder).


3) The rugby so far hasn’t been great and the tactics to date are not very exciting. People expected more from Andy Farrell and his Lions team.


4) Lions management have scored some own goals with the selection and subsequent call ups. It should have been the best 44 players from the start of the tour but the recent call ups have been underwhelming and damaged the Lions brand for some fans.


5) This tour would have been better if they merged Australia with Argentina and the Lions played Fiji as a warm up game to give the Pacific Nations a better chance of exposure and glory to grow the game. This is the sort of innovative thinking they need to bring out the magic of the Lions brand and create an exciting experience for all.


What’s become clear is the next tour needs to be an exciting one before people forget how magical a Lions tour can feel and the Lions brand is damaged to the point of questioning why it continues. The writing is on the wall, so lets hope the Lions see it and correct some of the above by the next tour.

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P
PM 1 hour ago
Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start

Nick,

I am a long suffering England fan, who has had to endure watching 4 years of dull rugby, poor selections and painful defeats. Steve Borthwick talks about GPS and picks squads by numbers and then we put in a poor performance on the pitch - it’s been a consistent trend.


Something changed in the Six Nations and we totally changed our style (literally overnight) and played some really good footie, which finally felt like positive rugby for a change.


Genge has regained his pore-Covid form and is looking back to his best and is head and shoulders above Porter.


Chessum has had a good year and hasn’t played a poor International game this season.


Tom Curry was outstanding in the 6 Nations but they have been playing him at 6, wheras he is better at 7 and is lethal at the breakdown.


Tom Willis was brought into the starting team at 8 and has been one of the best England players over the last year, who should have been on this Lions tour at 8. Earl had his best game since 2020 last week - not sure 1 game warrants Lions selection over a poor combination side and he is certainly second choice for his club 7 country behind Willis.


Pollock will be a good player but like all young emerging players, he is inconsistent and can go quiet in games, which is why Curry should be the starter at 7. He brings energy to games, which is why he is good from the bench but there is an argument to say he is the 5th best England openside (Curry x2, Underhill & Earl are currently better) but will improve over the next 5 years. We just need to stop the media building him up for a fall, let him play and develop and you will see a sensational Henry Pollock for the Lions in 4 years time.


Lions will be too powerful over 80 mins, so doesn’t really matter who they pick. Just please don’t put too much hype on Pollock. His 20 mins of International rugby going into this tour were positive but the media caused a frenzy and no other player would be selected on this basis.


Let’s enjoy the rugby and give Pollock the space and time he requires.

102 Go to comments
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