Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has ‘no clarity’ on Wallabies position as he reveals the biggest ‘challenge’ ahead of union debut
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and an insert of Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has revealed that he still has no clarity over which position he will play in union and what has been the biggest challenge since switching codes.
Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt says that the former NRL star is likely to make his Test debut during the Autumn Nations Series, with Australia facing England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland this November.
This is despite the fact that Suaalii hasn’t played a professional game of rugby union since switching codes. The $5 million recruit has been training with the Waratahs and Wallabies recently but will only get his real first taste of the 15-a-side game at the highest level.
Biggest challenge
While there are many similarities between the two codes, there are major differences in the set-piece and the breakdown. Suaalii is set to feature in the backs and shouldn’t need to worry too much about the set-pieces, but the breakdown is bound to be the biggest point of difference.
The 21-year-old is well aware of this and says that he is working hard to get the muscle memory from his schoolboy union days firing again.
“Just learning the plays and then the importance of the ruck,” Suaalii said when asked what the hardest aspect of the code switch is.
“That’s probably been the challenge but I’m always up for a challenge, I feel like I work hard and that’s one of my strengths.”
He believes that his previous experience in XVs as well as his stints playing Sevens will aid him in the code switch, as will his league career.
“I played in school and I played Sevens so that was important to learn the breakdown – I know the importance of the breakdown particularly going up north,” he said.
“Contact has always been a strength of mine. In league you always have to embrace contact and go after contact too, so once I get a game in – even in training – it could be a point of difference but I’m just training it and it’s getting better each day.”
Tackle height
Sua’ali’i became the sixth player in the State of Origin history to be red-carded after he made a horrific tackle just seven minutes into the match.
Union has far more stricter laws around tackle height, which the uncapped Wallaby is well aware of as he noted the different approaches the two sports have.
“It is different tackling,” he said.
“League is all about tackling high and getting wrestled but union is a lot about the chop tackle, I feel like it was one of my strengths too.
“It’s just about practising it more and I’m doing it every day, it’s exciting.”
Former Wallabies star Israel Folau predicts that Sua’ali’i will follow his lead and play full-back in 15s after making the switch from rugby league, but the 21-year-old says that he still doesn’t have clarity over his position.
“I have been training everywhere, wing, centre and full-back. Just like league, I played centre, full-back and wing, so right now there is no clarity of what position I will be playing but I just training all of them and learning as much as possible,” he said.
“I don’t have a preference, just like in league, but I feel like I could play centre, wing and full-back.”
Wallabies: Israel Folau reveals which position suits Joseph Suaalii best
Head down
At the event unveiling the new Wallabies jersey that will be worn during the 2025 British and Irish Lions series, Suaalii repeatedly said that he is working hard to prepare himself to make his Test debut.
However, he added that there weren’t certain requirements that he felt he had to meet to make his first union appearance.
“It’s not really boxes that I have to tick, the more I put my head down, work hard and learn as much as possible and just connect with the team,” he said.
“It’s just putting my best foot forward when I’m on the training paddock.”
READ MORE: ‘The collar is back’ – New Wallabies jersey for British and Irish Lions unveiled
