Injury grounds Reds wing Vunivalu

Sydney: Australian rugby’s biggest recruit Suliasi Vunivalu will be forced to continue his education on the sidelines, with the NRL premiership winner expected to miss up to a month of action.

Queensland general manager Sam Cordingley confirmed the tryscoring machine had “twinged” his left-hamstring, as the Reds prepare for life on the road after a number of COVID cases popped up in Brisbane over the weekend.

Life on the road could also become the new norm for the Reds too, with Cordingley telling reporters on Monday he hoped following the COVID pandemic the rugby powerhouse state would get back to touring at the conclusion of Super Rugby seasons in the absence of the controversial NRC.

For now, the Reds aren’t complaining, other than having to deal with washing daily given they expected to be away from Brisbane for only two nights.

They have set up shop in Coogee on Sydney’s eastern beaches and thanks to Sydney University and Randwick Rugby Club will use their facilities ahead of Saturday’s crucial match against the Rebels in Melbourne. “We’re working closely with Rugby Australia and the Victorian Government on achieving safe entry into Melbourne hopefully at some stage this week,” Cordingley said.

“But the plan that’s been submitted will allow us to be based in Sydney until later in the week and obviously arriving into Melbourne with current protocols in place, (we) would have undertake a COVID test – that is all players and staff – and then quarantine until we receive a negative test result.”Fox Sports