I went searching for the author of the famous quote “I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people’s accomplishments … the front page has nothing but man’s failures” and discovered it was none other than the late Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.
Warren, you may recall, was the man who headed the investigation into the assassination of President John F Kennedy. Out of consideration for the Kennedy family, he tried for a speedy resolution but succeeded only coming up with findings which satisfied no one and gave rise to all manner of conspiracy theories. So, perhaps not his finest hour.
Still, he does have the “sports pages” quote to fall back on.
Lately, however, I’m beginning to wonder if he even got this right.
News that Joseph Suaalii has signed with Rugby Australia on a three-year multimillion-dollar deal from 2025 certainly made it onto the back pages of newspapers in recent days, but that hardly strikes me as an “accomplishment”. Perhaps for Suaalii and his manager it is, but does Australian rugby really need an outside centre/winger/fullback when clearly that is not where the Wallabies’ talent shortage is thinnest?
Australia’s depth is shallowest at tight-head. Only Allan Alaalatoa of the Brumbies and the Melbourne-bound Taniela Tupou have proven themselves at Test level — and frankly, Tupou’s ongoing fitness is a worry. But it would be pointless scouring rugby league for a quality No.3. Australian rugby is entirely on its own here.
Joseph Suaalii looks set to join the Wallabies at a time the national side is spoiled for choice in his chosen positions.Credit:NRL Photos
Five-eighth is a different matter. As recently as a month ago, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones would have killed for a quality 10, with all eyes on Noah Lolesio, Ben Donaldson and Tane Edmed. But five matches into the Super Rugby Pacific season and it is now the Rebels’ Carter Gordon and the Reds pair of James O’Connor and Tom Lynagh attracting most interest.
All have undoubted deficiencies. But all have done enough to demonstrate to Jones that they could step into the breach should the Quade Cooper miracle fail to materialise.
The situation is constantly fluid. Consider halfback. At the start of the season, the Wallabies’ pecking order would have been Nic White, Tate McDermott and Jake Gordon. Now, Ryan Lonergan, White and … Gareth Simpson, the mercurial Force find of the past two rounds.
Except that Simpson is an English-born South African who played in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship. He is in Perth on loan from Saracens, but he will go back to Britain when the season is over. Still, I refuse to believe that any player with such a complicated background couldn’t conjure up an Australian grandparent if Eddie came calling.
Israel Folau proved a revelation for the Wallabies when making his debut against the Lions a decade ago.Credit:Dallas Kilponen
The point is that events and personnel keep changing. 2025 is a long way away and who knows what Jones’ needs or Suaalii’s form will be as the British and Irish Lions bear down? Hopefully, he will be the same hit Israel Folau was back in 2013. We don’t know.
Suaalii, indeed, might not be a good fit at winger. He is a long-strider perhaps more suited to outside-centre. But would he bring more to the No.13 jersey than Len Ikitau, who may be one of rugby’s most underappreciated players?
True, Suaalii has played a considerable amount of schoolboy rugby so chances are he will adapt. There are no guarantees, however.
The Herald’s chief rugby writer, Georgina Robinson, has correctly identified the overwhelming reason to sign Suaalii. It’s a commercial decision. Rugby needed a showroom star to put on display to the private equity partners it will soon engage. Hamish McLennan, RA’s energetic chairman, recognised the game needed a fresh face and was prepared to push the boat right out. On that front, it is a perfectly acceptable business arrangement.
Suaalii would have been placed with the Waratahs had he been born in Perth, Peregian Springs or Petticoat Creek. Sydney needs the bump.
But there are still grumbles throughout the game at the way this has been handled. It has exposed the unions to more aggressive bargaining from players at re-signing time, money they don’t have.
There is also the question of fairness. Suaalii’s salary is being touted at $1.6 million a season. That’s $4.8 million. Why not direct some of that to Max Jorgensen or Lynagh or Gordon, or better still, use it to get rugby’s talent ID sorted out. Australia paid just $120,000 a year for Elton Flatley in his first year out of school and he darn near kicked them to a World Cup. But didn’t lift a finger to sign Churchie Kalyn Ponga.
And while everyone accepts it is perfectly natural for a Penrith-born player to turn out for the Waratahs, everyone also accepts Suaalii would still have been placed with NSW had he been born in Perth, Peregian Springs or Petticoat Creek. Sydney needs the bump.
The question needs to be asked: What about the loyal players who took a 60 per cent cut in pay to keep the game going during COVID? Could they not have been compensated instead of over-rewarding a player who had to be asked by not one, not two, but three Wallabies coaches — Michael Cheika, Dave Rennie and Jones — to return to rugby?
Watch all the action from the Super Rugby Pacific with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
