Rob Valetini has been in this position before. His team reeling from a string of injuries, needing someone to put them on their back and carry them to victory.
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Valetini did it as a teenager growing up in Melbourne, he did it as an 18-year-old for Vikings in the old National Rugby Championship and he's done it numerous times for the ACT Brumbies.
Now, the hulking loose forward has been tasked with carrying the Wallabies to victory in Monday's crucial World Cup clash with Fiji.
From the moment the Australian players walked off the field following last week's win over Georgia, the side's preparation has been chaotic.
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott was quickly ruled out after picking up a concussion in the victory, before Taniela Tupou injured his hamstring at training.
Days later and skipper Will Skelton was sent for scans with a tight calf. The lock will be given every chance to prove his fitness before kickoff on Monday but there are fears he could miss the remainder of the World Cup.
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In positive news, Brumbies pair James Slipper and Nick Frost will return from injury to add crucial depth to the forward pack.
The Wallabies were already facing an uphill battle to go deep in the World Cup, but the challenge will become almost insurmountable if Tupou and Skelton spend an extended stint on the sidelines.
And that's where Valetini comes in.
With a young pack around him, all eyes will be on the No. 8 to set the foundation up front in both attack and defence.
He's done it before and has been tipped to do it again.
"I think he has to," Valetini's former coach Tim Sampson said. "He's established now in the Wallabies team, one of the first forwards picked.
"If you look at the pack it's so young, inexperienced. Rob Valetini isn't that, he's been around now for a while and I hope he has a dam good tournament, he's put in a lot of work to get there."
Adding to the importance of Monday's match is Valetini's Fijian heritage. The 25-year-old's parents were born in the Pacific Island nation before moving to Melbourne.
It's a background the forward carries with pride and he spoke earlier this year of the emotions of watching brother Kemu kick a penalty goal after the siren to secure the Fijian Drua a shock victory over the Canterbury Crusaders.
This weekend, however, the focus will be on ensuring Fiji do not cause a boilover in Saint-Étienne.
The match may be the second of four in the group stage, but the stakes are incredibly high.
Fiji needs a win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive after last week's controversial loss to Wales. The Wallabies are bracing for a desperate opposition chasing retribution.
Australia can effectively book their place in the knockout stage with a victory on Monday, however a loss will set up a must-win clash against Wales next week. Valetini shapes as a key figure in that quest.
"He's a steam train," Sampson said. "He's an established international backrower in world rugby.
"He's a handful on both sides of the ball. We mention physicality, when he gets those ball carries at full speed and puts on a bit of footwork he's tough to handle."
Valetini's journey from shy teenager to one of the most damaging forwards in rugby has been a steady build.
He signed a full-time contract with the Brumbies while still at school, making the move to Canberra in late 2016 before injuries crippled his early days in the city.
A stint with Vikings in the NRC came in 2017, where he was coached by Sampson, and a Super Rugby debut followed in 2018. He first wore a Wallabies jersey in 2019.
From there, Valetini has developed into one of the first players picked in the Australian side.
At 25 years old, he is in his prime and will remain a crucial figure after signing a four-year contract through to the 2027 World Cup.
Sampson, now an assistant coach with the Melbourne Rebels, is not surprised by the forward's rapid rise and said the early signs were clear back in 2017.
"When I first laid eyes on him, I saw physically he was pretty blessed," he said.
"When you see a player that has resilience ingrained in them at a young age and on top of that natural ability, it was always going to end up this way for Rob."
Now he's become a key figure in the Wallabies side, Valetini must step up and lead the side to victory.
Jones named Australia's least experienced World Cup squad since 1991 and the loss of Tupou and potentially Skelton is a further blow.
Backrowers Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight and Rob Leota are in the early stages of their careers and looking to Valetini for guidance.
It's a challenging proposition for a naturally shy player, however the No. 8 has made a habit of inspiring his teammates with his big hits and powerful carries.
"He's a guy that does it through his actions," Sampson said. "He should be a voice [in the team], he's earned it. The role might not be made for him, not everyone is cut out for it, but he's leading by his actions."
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