Reds confirm exits of Wallabies Vunivalu, Petaia

MELBOURNE : The Queensland Reds have confirmed the departures of Wallabies backs Suliasi Vunivalu and Jordan Petaia in naming their squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season on Tuesday.
Rugby league convert Vunivalu was a member of Australia’s World Cup squad under former coach Eddie Jones but the winger fell out of favour under Reds coach Les Kiss.
Petaia became the youngest Wallaby to feature at a World Cup when he made his debut at 19 against Uruguay at the 2019 showpiece in Japan but the winger/centre is reported to be eyeing a career switch to American football.
Petaia has signed up for an NFL development camp for international players in Florida in January, Australian media reported.
All 11 Super Rugby teams unveiled their rosters on Tuesday, with the Sydney-based New South Wales Waratahs signing a slew of Melbourne Rebels players following the team’s axing from the competition.
Wallabies Taniela Tupou, Rob Leota, Isaac Kailea and Andrew Kellaway are among the former Rebels joining the Waratahs under new coach Dan McKellar. Internationals Jed Holloway and Ned Hanigan are among those to have left the Waratahs.
Other Rebels players to cross state lines include former Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Fiji-born winger Filipo Daugunu, who have both returned to the Reds.
Champions Auckland Blues confirmed the return of All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett following his stint with Toyota Verblitz in Japan.
Payton Spencer, the son of former All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer, has a spot on Vern Cotter’s roster after crossing from New Zealand’s rugby sevens programme.
The Canterbury Crusaders parted ways with former All Blacks Joe Moody, Owen Franks and Ryan Crotty, making way for new blood following a ninth-place finish in their title defence under Rob Penney.
Nine-test All Black Braydon Ennor is back on the roster after recovering from his third knee reconstruction in eight years, while Penney said the Crusaders would likely have a new captain to ease lock Scott Barrett’s load.
“History would suggest it’s too challenging to do both jobs,” Penny said of Barrett, who was Scott Robertson’s first choice as All Blacks captain.
“It’s a big ask doing the ABs job so it’s highly likely we’ll move to someone else.”