Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is keen for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to return to Super Rugby ahead of the British and Irish Lions series despite the Waratahs fullback sustaining a concussion against the Reds on Friday night.
Provided Suaalii passes all concussion protocols, Schmidt wants the cross-code star to maintain his match sharpness.
“I’m keen to see him keep playing, I think that he’s missed a few [Super Rugby] games already this season, he hasn’t had that many games anyway,” Schmidt said.
“For Joseph, I think it’s important that he just keeps playing when he’s fit and available to play, I think he probably will miss this game against the Crusaders [for the Waratahs], but all going well, he’ll hopefully be back for the next one [against the Force].”
Schmidt selected Suaalii to play outside-centre for the Wallabies in four Tests last November, whereas Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has regularly used him as a fullback.
Schmidt revealed that McKellar offered to select Suaalii at outside centre, but the New Zealander was happy to see the former Rooster’s game develop as the last man in defence for NSW.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is taken off the field during the Waratahs’ clash with the Reds.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m really happy that Joseph plays wherever Dan needs him to play, Dan [McKellar] and I have had the conversation and Dan actually asked me: ‘Do you want me to play him at 13?’ And I said, ‘I just want him with his boots on playing the game’,” Schmidt said.
“I think one of the beauties of playing 15 is you see the whole game in front of you, and so for Joseph, he’s had that opportunity. But then they [the Waratahs] don’t use him like a normal 15 either … I thought he was going really well until he got that knock in Friday’s game, but he’s okay and that’s a main thing going forward.”
Former All Blacks and NRL star Sonny Bill Williams, speaking at the announcement of Nine Entertainment being named Rugby Australia’s broadcast partner until 2030, said that he is confident that Suaalii’s rugby league skills remain an asset in his new code.
“It’s hard for him because he’s a tall man, when he’s coming into contact, he’s usually really upright, I think that’s second nature to him [from NRL], I think it’s not a matter of, okay, these are the things that we need to work on, we’re going to work on it every day and it’s going to be a game changer. No, he’s a physical player, that’s how he plays,” Williams said.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will undergo concussion protocols.Credit: Getty Images
“He runs hard, and he tackles hard, and he puts his body on the line. So I think, yes, keep working on his technique, but at the same time, that’s rugby.
“You’re going to get it wrong sometimes, you just hope more often than not he gets it right.”
Schmidt is expected to name his Wallabies squad for the Lions series either shortly after the Super Rugby final on June 21 if an Australian side is involved, or up to a week earlier if no domestic team reaches the decider.
Schmidt revealed that he remains open to selecting overseas Wallabies for his squad to face the Lions, including Bordeaux’s form back-rower Pete Samu, who last wore green and gold for Australia A against Portugal in August 2023. Samu will return to play for the Waratahs next season.
“We obviously used Will [Skelton], Samu [Kerevi] and Marika [Koroibete] last year, I’ve spoken about James [O’Connor] potentially,” Schmidt said.
“There’s other guys like Pete Samu who’s committed, I think, to coming back at some stage and even the guys who are going [overseas], like Tom Hooper and Langi Gleeson, I do think we’ll see them back playing for the Wallabies at some stage, so we don’t want to discount anyone … but as I’ve always said, if there’s anything that we think is 50-50 or a bit more, it’s more difficult to absorb someone in from the outside of the groups that play together already. It’s just not the same cohesion.”
Schmidt also said that he was pleased by prop Taniela Tupou’s form against the Reds, after the Wallaby revealed his crisis of confidence to this masthead.
“I felt on Friday night [against the Reds], there were hints that he was coming back into a little bit of form… Crono [Mike Cron] has a really strong relationship with Taniela … Crono is in there catching up with Taniela today and I’ll catch up with him tomorrow.”
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