Family guiding Wallaby

SO strong is his sense of family that seeing his new surname in a match program is as big a feeling as his Wallabies debut for Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.

The powerful 116kg forward will re-emerge in his first proper match for five months on Friday night when the Reds launch their season against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

“Family and footy” had been a comfortable axis for the 22-year-old’s life until that equilibrium was shattered by the sudden death of his father James last September.

Lukhan Tui, as he was then, was floored and only played the Test against Argentina on the Gold Coast the same week to honour the dad who did so much to get him there.

He then pulled out of the Wallabies’ tour last November.

“Looking after my family was the best decision to make, the only decision,” he said.