Why Wallabies prospect has been sidelined but still stands to benefit

Jeffery Toomaga-Allen believes the young man hyped as the Wallabies’ next great prop has benefited from an injury crisis that derailed his Super Rugby rise.

Massimo De Lutiis has followed in fellow Queensland Reds alumni Taniela Tupou’s footsteps as a player of such strength and promise, he attracted attention before his debut and earned Wallabies camp call-ups before venturing onto the professional stage.

While the 21-year-old lined up for the Reds in post-season clashes against Wales, Tonga, Ulster, Bristol and Saitama Wild Knights, a quad tear suffered on the eve of the 2024 campaign held him back from a Super Rugby berth.

Since that setback, De Lutiis continued to hit the weights – he broke the bench press record for Queensland footballers of any code – and featured in the first three games of the Reds’ season. But it was the chance to watch the game from afar that former All Black Toomaga-Allen declared would prove his making.

“As a front rower, we’re stereotyped as ‘hit rucks, scrum hard’, but the game has developed. I think him being on the sidelines has helped his rugby IQ. Seeing the game is quite expansive, and seeing the game through a different lens,” Toomaga-Allen said.

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“He’s a beast, he can’t deny that, but no one really sees him doing the little extras in the gym or working on technical aspects of the set-ups for scrummaging or clean-out techniques, and having extra meetings and doing the film work.

“He’s living up to the hype so far. I have tried to take him under my wing, but if we’re talking about formidable forces, he’s one to be reckoned with.

“He’s very grounded and always wanting to learn, and I think that’s his biggest asset – always wanting to learn and not know everything, given the hype. It’s a testament to how he was raised.