Back in gold after being left out of Joe Schmidt’s final Wallabies squad, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto took the moral high ground on Wednesday as the bruising lock spoke of the benefit of being controversially axed for the July Tests.
Speaking to the media for the first time since being immediately called back into the Wallabies under new coach Les Kiss, Salakaia-Loto said being dumped from the squad allowed him to spend some precious time with his family after welcoming a third girl into the world recently.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto was named in Super Rugby’s team of the year but was left out of Joe Schmidt’s final Test squad. Getty Images
“I just had my third daughter, so the silver lining was just spending time at home and being present with my kids,” the bruising Queensland Reds locks said.
“It was a blessing in disguise just to be at home with my kids and be there for probably the most important weeks, when everything’s fresh and making sure that my wife was all good and giving her a hand.”
How much of a break he gave his wife is somewhat debatable.
After all, the 29-year-old was called into the famed touring side the Barbarians for their clash against Wales in England.
“I can’t remember too much, but it was good,” Salakaia-Loto quipped. “It was a bit hard to sell that week to the missus, after she had given birth.
“But it was important for me to get some footy in, so I played 18 minutes there, which was good fun.
“Good mental health week, and then straight back.”
On a serious note, the 45-Test forward said his axing was “disappointing” but added that he was “used to it now” having been in and out under several Wallabies coaches since debuting under Michael Cheika in 2017.
Nor was it the first time that Salakaia-Loto had been snubbed by Schmidt, having been perplexingly excluded during last year’s British and Irish Lions series despite Will Skelton missing the first Test because of an injury and playing just 50 minutes in the second Test.
But the bizarre nature of Salakaia-Loto’s omission was that it came just days after being named in Super Rugby’s team of the year.
“You don’t always get what you deserve, I guess,” Salakaia-Loto said.
Schmidt, who finished up recently as Wallabies coach after an up-and-down two-and-a-half-year tenure, justified the Reds lock’s axing by saying he wanted his big man to “string consecutive moments”.
The New Zealander also suggested that Salakaia-Loto wasn’t fit enough by saying he wanted “fast jumping locks”.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto of Australia runs with the ball. Getty
Salakaia-Loto admitted he had played a few kilograms heavier than usual this year but also couldn’t resist a subtle dig at the recently departed Wallabies coach when asked whether he still thought he could be effective at the lineout.
“I’ve always been able to jump the lineout, I can still get up there,” he said.
Now back around 133kg, Salakaia-Loto said he purposely played around the 138kg mark this year after discovering he could use the extra few kegs to his advantage.
“I played heavier this year. I mean it doesn’t take much for me to put weight on,” he said. Like I could probably put five kilos on in one night.
“That was intentional to be able to play the type of style that I want to play this year, and I thought that I was able to do that. Like I was still playing 80 minutes every week.
“I mean different perspectives and you can look at things different ways, but I know what I can bring to a side and I know what value I can offer when I’m at my best.”
Salakaia-Loto’s not exactly wrong either, given he ran over several players, including bumping away new All Blacks loose-forward Anton Segner.
Kiss, too, regularly praised the experienced forward throughout the season for his output, especially in the absence of Josh Canham, who missed the majority of the Super Rugby season with a hamstring injury.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is back in. Getty Images
Recalled for the upcoming Tests against Japan, Salakaia-Loto said he was “grateful” to be back in gold under the Wallabies’ new gaffer.
While the bruising lock is back in favour, the giant forward said he wasn’t expecting to win an immediate recall to the side especially following the strong efforts from Canham and Jeremy Williams during the July Tests.
“I’m not expecting any change anytime soon, especially the way that they’re playing,” he said. “It’s good to see Canham take big steps this year.”
He’s not the only big tight-head lock in the squad either, with Miles Amatosero making a strong impression over the past month after previously taking Salakaia-Loto’s spot.
With both tight-head locks in the squad, Salakaia-Loto said he was looking forward to challenging him for a place in the side.
“The best way of helping someone like Miles is pushing him and challenging him,” he said. “Iron sharpens iron, so I’m sure we’ll probably lock horns again in training.”
The Wallabies take on Eddie Jones’s Japanese in Osaka on August 8.