All eyes on Wallaby star Valetini ahead of grudge match

All eyes on Wallaby star Valetini ahead of grudge match

By Navitalai Naivalurua
Saturday 22/03/2025

Wallabies enforcer Rob Valetini has fired a warning shot at his former coach, Dan McKellar, ahead of his first Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific match of the 2025 season.

Valetini will make his much-anticipated return after sustaining a hamstring injury in the pre-season and says he is feeling his best ahead of the ACT Brumbies' grudge match against the NSW Waratahs tonight.

The game will be McKellar's first against his former side after coaching the Brumbies from 2018 to 2022 and winning a Super Rugby AU premiership in Canberra in 2020.

Valetini, who debuted in 2018, has worked with the Waratahs coach at domestic and international levels.

The classy back-rower said there was a different energy in the Canberra camp as the Brumbies look to extend a seven-year winning streak against their arch-rivals.

He says that getting a win against them adds to the motivating factors.

Valetini says they are one of their biggest rivals.

The Brumbies will face the NSW Waratahs at 8.35 tonight.

Meanwhile, the Highlanders are leading the Reds 17-12.

In other matches, the Blues will battle the Crusaders at 6.05 tonight, and the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua play the Force at 6.05pm tomorrow at HBF Park, Perth.

[Source: Rugby.com.au]

FNRL
FEATURE NEWS
HK 7s: Fiji claims 4th place after 22-21 loss to Australia
The Fiji Airways National Men’s 7s side has claimed 4th place at the HSBC Hong Kong 7s after being edged 22-21 by Australia in the 3rd place play-of...
2 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
No tsunami threat to Fiji as 3.4 magnitude quake recorded 26 km from Suva
A 3.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded at a shallow depth and 26 kilometres South from Suva. The event was felt between the Suva to Nausori ...
43 minutes ago

Eid to be celebrated on Tuesday
Muslim families will be celebrating Eid on Tuesday as the moon has not been sighted tonight. Eid marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of ...
3 hours ago

HK 7s: Fijiana win 5th place play-off after beating USA 19-7
The Fiji Airways Fijiana side have won the fifth place play-off in the HSBC Hong Kong 7s after beating the USA 19-7. The Fijiana ran in three ...
5 hours ago

Ram Bharose Satsang Ramayan Mandali encourages youth to stay drug-free
As Hindus in Fiji commence with Ram Naumi today, the Ram Bharose Satsang Ramayan Mandali is reminding youths to stay away from drugs. The ...
6 hours ago

Clean water brings relief to Kumi Village after years of struggle
Clean water is no longer a struggle for the people of Kumi Village, as 11 new water tanks provided by the government will now ensure a steady supply, ...
7 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Reverend Tugi on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Watch the General Secretary of Fiji Evangelical Fellowship, Reverend Simione Tugi on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay ...
32 days ago

fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan and William Parkinson
Chairman of Communications Fiji Limited, parent company of FM96, LegendFM, VitiFM, Navtarang, Radio Sargam, fijivillage and PNGFM, William Parkinson ...
32 days ago

fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan and Adi Tulia Nacola
The candid interview focuses on Nacola, coming from a chiefly family and being a daughter of a Minister who was ousted in the 1987 military coup, her ...
33 days ago

TOP