Queensland Reds utility back Filipo Daugunu had a simple choice to make: stay or go.
With his side seven points down and chasing a try late in the first half of last Friday’s derby against the Waratahs, an accidental knee to the head from his NSW teammate Andrew Kellaway left Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii prone on the ground. With prop Daniel Botha already in the sin bin, the Waratahs’ defence was stretched far beyond its limits.
Daugunu could have rejoined the Reds attack and pushed for the try that would have tied the game. Instead, he forgot the scoreboard and stayed put; his only concern the welfare of his opponent. Daugunu cradled Suaalii’s head and yelled to the Reds’ medical team for help.
Daugunu and Suaalii had only met briefly once before, in early April when the Reds and the Waratahs were staying in the same hotel in New Zealand before their games against the Chiefs and Moana Pasifika respectively.
A month later, their paths crossed at Allianz Stadium when Suaalii successfully tackled Daugunu, but the Reds player immediately knew there was something wrong with his opponent after they fell to the ground after the hit.
“I was trying to get off the ground and he was on top of me, and I was like, ‘I’ll look at him to see if he’s OK’,” Daugunu said.
“It was as if he was sleeping. I knew straight away [something was wrong]. My first reaction was to hold his head and to call for a doctor, physios and the medical teams. I just felt sorry for him and hoped he was OK.”
The Reds medical team worked closely with the Waratahs doctors and physios to stabilise and treat Suaalii.
Daugunu has played enough rugby, from his early days in Fiji to his time with the Rebels and Reds, to understand the risks involved in head injuries. Rejoining play never entered his mind until he knew Suaalii was in safe hands.
“The safety [of the player] is more important,” Daugunu said. “After the game, you’re going to go back to your family. I knew his family would worry about him, because of what happened on the field, so I stayed.”
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is treated after a bad head knock on Friday night by Waratahs and Reds medical teamsCredit: Getty Images
After being taken off the field in a neck brace, Suaalii was able to return home with his parents after the game.
On Monday, further scans revealed an “undisplaced fracture” in Suaalii’s jaw that will end his Super Rugby season, but not his involvement in the Wallabies’ marquee series against the British and Irish Lions.
After the game, Suaalii and his parents contacted Daugunu separately to thank him for his actions on the field.
On Thursday, Waratahs coach Dan McKellar was pleased to see Suaalii already back working in the gym, and praised Daugunu for his sportsmanship.
“Enormous respect and gratitude towards Filipo Daugunu there,” McKellar said. “I spoke to Joseph’s parents on Saturday, and they were keen to get in touch with him, and it says a lot about him
“We go hammer and tong, and it’s a physical contest for 80 minutes Certainly it was physical on Friday night, but at the end of the day, we’re all human beings and no one wants to see anyone injured, and the boys certainly appreciate that and no one more so than Joseph and his family.”
The Waratahs’ final home game of the season against the Crusaders will also serve as a farewell for several players who are departing at the end of the season, including Rob Leota, Langi Gleeson, Hugh Sinclair and Mahe Vailanu from the match squad and Julian Heaven and Felix Kalapu.
The Waratahs must win on Friday to retain a slim chance of playing in the finals, after successive defeats to the Brumbies and Reds.
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