Rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will make his Australia debut having yet to play a game of senior club rugby union after being named in the Wallabies team to play England at Twickenham on Saturday, with coach Joe Schmidt saying “if not not now, when?”.
The 21-year-old Suaalii has has been selected at outside centre for the opening match of Australia’s Grand Slam tour, with the Wallabies playing England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland on successive weekends.
A standout schoolboy rugby union player, Suaalii started his professional career in rugby league with Sydney Roosters.
But he has now switched codes, following former rugby league stars such as Israel Folau and Sonny Bill Williams, signing a multi-million dollar deal with Rugby Australia.
Suaalii is the only change to the starting XV from Australia’s last game, a 33-13 loss to New Zealand in Wellington in September.
“With Hunter Paisami picking up an injury, Samu Kerevi coming in late, that was the best combination for us and a really good opportunity,” Australia boss Schmidt told reporters at the squad’s London hotel after naming his side on Thursday.
“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.”
– ‘Benchmark’ –
Australia do not have a Test scheduled between the end of this tour and the start of their series against the British and Irish Lions in July next year, leaving them with few opportunities to give Suaali a debut before taking on the combined side.
“For us, there’s four Test matches left this year before we embark on a massive Lions tour next year,” said Schmidt.
“So if not now, when? It’s unlikely it’ll go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark that he (Suaalii) can build from.”
Former Ireland coach Schmidt, asked why Suaalii was ready for international rugby union, replied: “He is a very humble young man, but he is very forthright about his preparation, and that gives us confidence.”
The Wallabies lost five of their six matches in this year’s southern hemisphere Rugby Championship under Schmidt, who took charge after Eddie Jones oversaw a woeful 2023 World Cup campaign where Australia crashed out in the pool stage.
“I see them as a good group of young men who are working hard,” said Schmidt of his Australia side who were edged 31-28 by New Zealand in Sydney in September.
The New Zealander added: “I know the All Blacks were pretty nervous that day when we got close. We don’t want to make people nervous. We want to make them miserable because we got the result. But we’ll take nervous on the way there.”
England come into Saturday’s match following an agonising 24-22 loss to New Zealand at Twickenham last weekend — their third narrow defeat by the All Blacks this year.
It was another game where England, 22-14 ahead, squandered a lead in the final quarter, but Schmidt dismissed suggestions there was a vulnerability for Australia to exploit on Saturday.
“Professional rugby players are reasonably attuned to just playing what’s in front of them,” he said.
“I don’t think that they are necessarily distracted by what’s gone on in previous games.”
England coach Steve Borthwick named an unchanged team on Tuesday.
Australia (15-1)
Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Rob Valentini; Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
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