Now that the Bledisloe Cup is lost for another year, Dave Rennie can throw caution to the wind. In fact, he must.
That should begin with promoting Suliasi Vunivalu and handing him his debut start on the right-wing.
Vunivalu’s arrival in the game in 2021 was viewed as a coup for the game but hitherto he has been barely sighted.
He is said to be a poor trainer, with Rennie one who values training form, but Toutai Kefu and George Smith were considered among the worst and would challenge for selection in the Wallabies’ best ever XV.
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By contrast, fellow former Melbourne Storm star Marika Koroibete is considered one of the Wallabies’ best trainers.
It is something Rennie often points out.
Yet, in Vunivalu – the two-time NRL premiership-winner with the Storm – the Wallabies have a player who has the characteristics and physical prowess of someone who can be world class.
If the Wallabies are to go deep in next year’s World Cup, they need as many players who can be world class.
How many others in the Wallabies can have that same tag?
Koroibete is certainly one, while injured duo Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi are two others.
In three minutes against England, Fijian-born Vunivalu showed what he is capable of.
After being ridiculously kept on the sidelines for 77 minutes on debut, Vunivalu finally took off his tracksuit and with his first touch he almost managed to set-up a linebreak from deep inside his own half as Owen Farrell managed to just hold on.
He would have won possession for the Wallabies had the full-time siren not denied his side the chance of packing a scrum after leaping over the top of his English opponents from a drop-kick restart.
Those two flashes of brilliance should have been the start of things to come and, yet, the 26-year-old has not been used in the five Tests since.
Vunivalu is a tryscorer.
He scored 86 tries in 111 appearances in the NRl, scoring a try in the Storm’s premiership win over the Panthers in 2020 in what was his final game in the NRL.
While his opening two seasons were hampered by a series of hamstring injuries, he showed glimpses of what was to come.
He almost scored a stunning try from a kick-off in his first season while he finished the 2020 Super Rugby campaign with a bang, crossing for a superb try against the Crusaders in their quarter-final defeat.
He also scored against the Blues and was the one player who offered any threat at Eden Park in May.
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Vunivalu would provide balance to the Wallabies’ back three and offer their backline a point of difference.
With Kerevi sidelined, the Wallabies’ sole back with any size is Koroibete.
But as explosive and muscular as Koroibete is, he doesn’t offer a threat in the air.
Nor does Andrew Kellaway, who stands at 1.86m.
Vunivalu, on the other hand, is 1.92m and hits the scales at almost 100kg.
In modern rugby, ever since Jonah Lomu changed the way rugby is played and Ma’a Nonu tweaked it even further, size matters.
At present, the Wallabies are making it harder for themselves because they don’t have an aerial threat nor a physical one out wide.
While Tom Wright started the international season in fine form and is a talented finisher, his discipline remains an issue and he is error-prone.
Vunivalu’s ceiling is considerably higher.
He won’t be the finished package for some time, but will he ever reach his potential if he isn’t given a go.
With Koroibete unlikely to go on the Wallabies’ end of year Spring Tour, Rennie indicated last month that Vunivalu would be given a go, with the Test against Italy looming as his big chance.
But there is no reason why that introduction should not be sped up.
Rennie has other selections to consider for the Bledisloe return match at Eden Park.
Bernard Foley’s strong return should see him given another chance to build on his performance in Melbourne.
That does not mean Noah Lolesio should not be considered for a place in the wider squad, with the rising 10 available after missing the Bledisloe opener due to concussion.
Tate McDermott should also come back into consideration.
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The livewire halfback is another who has the potential to become world class while he is a developing leader and courageous defender.
He keeps defences guessing and his ability to find space around the ruck is second-to-none.
Up front and captain James Slipper’s calf injury has him at long odds to take his place against the All Blacks.
His likely absence could see Scott Sio start, with Angus Bell set to make a timely return via the bench.
With Darcy Swain in danger of being rubbed out of the game due to his reckless effort at the breakdown, his Brumbies teammate Nick Frost, who is one of the country’s best up-and-comers, should be promoted.
