Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii has been ruled out of his NSW Waratahs debut after pulling up sore with a niggle to his knee on Saturday morning before the team travelled to Bowral to take on the Brumbies in the final trial game ahead of Super Rugby.
Suaalii trained fully at fullback at the captain’s run on Friday and the Waratahs expect their star recruit to be fully fit to face the Highlanders in Allianz Stadium for round one.
Joseph Suaalii-Aukuso was a late withdrawal from the Waratahs’ trial against the ACT Brumbies.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
The Waratahs’ acting director of performance Andrew Cleverly said Suaalii was keen to play in the trial game, but the club decided that it was not worth risking their prize asset ahead of Super Rugby.
“He’s pulled up a bit sore from a training injury,” Cleverly said. “If we were playing Super Rugby today he’d be playing.
“It’s nothing too major, we’ve got him at home, he’s just got a niggle in his knee, it’s minor.
“This is a trial, it’s unfortunate for the people here who have travelled and obviously trying to watch the game in different parts, and we’re disappointed as well to see him playing fullback for us here in Bowral for his debut in the blue, but we’re looking forward to round one.”
Cleverly admitted Suaalii’s late injury may force the coaching staff to move him from fullback, potentially to the wing where he won’t have the same workload.
“That’ll be definitely something the coaches will look at,” Cleverly said. “That’s the beauty of our squad at the moment. Max [Jorgensen] could have a blinder at fullback today, then there will be tough decisions, but that’s the Waratahs need, coaches making tough decisions because the depth of the squad is so good.”
The capacity crowd that filled into the home of the Bowral Blacks rugby club were only informed that Suaalii was not playing as the players came out onto the field, with a collective groan from the hundreds of camp chairs surrounding the ground when it was announced Wallabies player Max Jorgensen would fill the full back’s jersey with Darby Lancaster debuting for the club on the wing.
The Waratahs started the game nervously, losing their captain and halfback Jake Gordon after nine minutes with a suspected lower back injury.
The Waratahs started the game with 10 Wallabies on the field, with three more on the bench, rolling out their strongest possible side ahead of round one. The Brumbies kept their best players on the sidelines, including Tom Wright, Rob Valentini, Len Ikitau, Alan Alaalatoa and Noah Lolesio.
