Rugby: Studious Vuna adapts to new position

Cooper Vuna of the Rebels passes the ball. Photo / Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams may be the midfield's man of the moment but another NRL convert preparing for his Super 15 debut prefers to study historic footage of Ma'a Nonu as he fast tracks his rugby education.

Homework has understandably been a priority for Cooper Vuna considering the Melbourne Rebels second five-eighth had not played rugby since Otahuhu College when he was recruited by the expansion club's head coach Rod Macqueen.

The man who masterminded Australia's World Cup triumph in 1999 coaxed Vuna from the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season, a calculated risk as the 23-year-old has spent his rugby league career on the wing.

Once the Rebels were established in January last year Macqueen identified the 101kg Aucklander as a potential blockbusting midfielder, a linebreaker to complement former Wallabies centre Stirling Mortlock.

So far the transition has gone relatively smoothly, although old habits die hard. The first time he was tackled during the Rebels' opening trial against Tonga he attempted to get up and play-the-ball.

Vuna sheepishly recounted his oversight before last night's third pre-season match against the Crusaders in Melbourne, an encouraging 14-19 loss to the admittedly depleted seven-time champions.

"My first carry ... I got up straight away like I was playing league. It was pretty funny."

A quick learner, Vuna was all seriousness against the Crusaders, creating up then scoring the Rebels first try, showcasing his physicality by bursting through the defensive line and linking with Mortlock before regaining the ball and powering over.

It was the brand of try Vuna was acquired to produce. He has no pretensions as an SBW-style offloader and neither is he equipped with a kicking game.

"It's more of a crash position for me, crashing the ball up and setting up plays for the next phase," he said.

Vuna has still managed to touch down in each of the Rebels' trials, including a hat-trick against the Pacific Islanders.

He still lacks positional awareness at times but alongside Mortlock, and with a highlights reel of Nonu to consult on his hard drive, Vuna hopes to find his feet in the right place when the Rebels start their campaign against the New South Wales Waratahs on February 18.

"It's a lot different to sitting on the wing, it's a challenging role for me to learn," he told NZPA.

Vuna reckoned he was absorbing Mortlock's expertise on a daily basis at training and in game situations while 56-test veteran Nonu was analysed on his laptop.

"Because I'm new to it I'm trying to base my game around other players," said Vuna, who started his NRL career at the Warriors in 2004 and represented Tonga at league's World Cup four years later.

"I'm looking hard at Ma'a's running and positional game, what he does when he's not in the play. Obviously he's one of the best centres out there."

Former Sydney Roosters centre Ryan Cross, who has played 18 tests for the Wallabies since switching codes in 2007, is another valuable case study while Vuna was also encouraged by how Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri made the transitions from Kangaroos to Wallabies, even if they did not deviate from their specialist wing positions.

Vuna hopes to emulate that trio and also represent the Wallabies; his progress is being tracked by head coach Robbie Deans although involvement in this year's World Cup seems unlikely.

"My aspiration is to play rugby at the highest level so, yes, I'm talking about the Wallabies," he said.

Meanwhile, Vuna, his partner Necia and their three-year-old son Lincoln have adapted to life in Melbourne, even if his boy also struggled with his bearings when watching Dad playing the Tongans.

"I tried to play-the-ball and he had the 'Newcastle' chant going," Vuna laughed.

- NZPA