Just weeks after switching codes, million-dollar Rugby Australia recruit Joseph Suaalii will join the Wallabies on their upcoming tour of Britain and Ireland, after being named in the 34-man squad alongside offshore stars Will Skelton and Samu Kerevi.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt unveiled his squad for the four-Test tour next month, which will see Australia attempt to claim a “Grand Slam” of wins over England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Suaalii’s inclusion headlined a squad that also included a batch of new faces in the shape of Waratahs five-eighth Tane Edmed and Western Force winger Harry Potter.
Skelton, who captained the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup but did not return from France for the Australian winter campaign this year, has been included, along with Japan-based centre Kerevi.
After playing throughout the Rugby Championship, Marika Koroibete was not included in the squad and will remain with his Japanese club.
An Australia XV squad, comprised of 30 players, was also named for a two-game tour of England that will run parallel to the main Wallabies tour.
But after much speculation about whether Suaalii would potentially begin his Australian rugby career in the Australia XV squad or with Schmidt’s touring group, the inclusion of the 21-year-old on the main tour gives every indication he could debut for Australia before even playing Super Rugby.
Suaalii only joined the Wallabies for the first time at a two-day training camp last week in Canberra.
The inclusion of Edmed, at the expense of Tom Lynagh (who is in the Australia XV squad), comes after the redhead starred during a stint for North Harbour in the NPC.
Potter, 26, has come from the clouds after displaying strong form for the Force in their recent pre-season games in South Africa. The former Sydney Uni and Rebels flyer left Australia during COVID in 2020 to join Leicester, and given he was born in England, was being discussed as a potential call-up for the English Test side.
Joseph Suaalii chatting to coach Joe Schmidt in camp with the Wallabies.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
But he returned to the Force last year, intent on achieving his goal of playing for the Wallabies.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said in a statement: “The squad has had a chance to regenerate over the last few weeks. At the same time, it was good to catch up with a wider group of players in the two-day training hubs we had in Canberra and Brisbane last week.
“We have a relatively consistent group but will integrate a few new players on tour.
“Trying to balance opportunities for players, some recent squad members will get much needed game time with Australia XV, which also enables us to broaden our cohort of players in what will be highly competitive fixtures.”
The Australia XV squad – coached by Brumbies assistant Rod Seib – contains several players who played for the Test team during the winter, including Lyngah, Josh Flook, Darby Lancaster, Hamish Stewart, Angus Blyth, Josh Canham, Zane Nonggorr and Luke Reimer.
It also sees the return of Lachlan Lonergan from a long-term injury, and the inclusion of young talent like Joe Brial, Massimo de Lutiis, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Joey Walton. Tom Hooper and Corey Toole have also been relegated from the Wallabies’ main squad.
Wallaby XV squad
Forwards: Angus Blyth (Queensland Reds), Joe Brial (Queensland Reds), John Bryant (Queensland Reds), Josh Canham (Queensland Reds), Massimo de Lutiis (Queensland Reds), Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies), Harry Hoopert (Western Force), Tom Horton (Western Force), Tom Lambert (NSW Waratahs),Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies)Josh Nasser (Queensland Reds)Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds), Luke Reimer (ACT Brumbies), Rory Scott (ACT Brumbies), Ryan Smith (Queensland Reds), Darcy Swain (Western Force), Rhys Van Nek (ACT Brumbies)
Backs: Lachie Anderson (Queensland Reds), Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds), Issak Fines-Leleiwasa (Western Force), Josh Flook (Queensland Reds), Darby Lancaster (NSW Waratahs), Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies), Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds), Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Queensland Reds), Andy Muirhead (ACT Brumbies), Ollie Sapsford (ACT Brumbies), Hamish Stewart (Western Force), Corey Toole (ACT Brumbies), Joey Walton (NSW Waratahs)
