Wallabies to unleash prized NRL convert
Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii will face the ultimate baptism of fire after he was named in the starting side to make his Wallabies debut against England just six weeks after his final game for the Roosters in the NRL.
It’s a bold gamble from Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, who concedes it’s a risk but is willing to roll the dice with the 21-year-old to give him some much-needed experience ahead of next year’s British and Irish Lions series.
Suaalii signed the most lucrative deal in Australian rugby history to switch codes, and rugby fans will get their first look at him this weekend when Australia takes on England at Twickenham to start their spring tour.
“We just thought particularly with Hunter Paisani picking up an injury and Samu Kerevi coming in late that it was the best combination for us and a really good opportunity,” Schmidt told reporters in London.
“I think when a player starts they get a little bit more training time with the team, so getting those reps with the team I think is an advantage when you’re trying to slot someone in for the first time.”
Suaalii has represented Australia in rugby at schoolboys level, but this will be a much tougher challenge defending at outside centre given he only had a handful of training sessions before he was picked in the Wallabies squad for the tour.
He is the only change to the side that lost to New Zealand in the Rugby Championship where the Wallabies won just one of their six matches, with the Aussies to also take on Wales, Scotland and Ireland in the coming weeks when Suaalii will continue to gain valuable experience.
“Everything is a risk but I would challenge that by saying everything is an opportunity,” Schmidt said.
“It’s unlikely it will go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark he can build from.
“Everything’s a risk. The thing that I would have confidence around Joseph is how well he prepares himself.
“He’s a very professional young man. He’s had plenty of experience both playing rugby union and being professional as well with rugby league in the past and coming back to rugby union, so those things give us confidence and give Joseph confidence that hopefully, he can hit the ground running in a couple of days’ time.”
WALLABIES (15-1): Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell.
Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen
