Joseph Suaalii ‘excited and privileged’ to be part of Wallabies during its ‘golden period’
Joseph Suaalii in action during a Wallabies training session.
Although Joseph Suaalii admits that he would “miss the Roosters dearly”, he is now fully focused on his rugby union career and said he has always followed his dreams in life.
Suaalii was a schoolboy rugby superstar who represented the Australia Schoolboys side before making the switch to rugby league, where he shone in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters.
However, the 21-year-old is back in the 15-a-side game after signing a deal thought to be around AUS$5.35 million, which will take him to the 2027 Rugby World Cup and could rise – if reports are correct – to AUS$9 million if he stays an extra two seasons.
Suaalii, who will play at Super Rugby Pacific level for the Waratahs, is set to tour the UK next month, although he is not sure which Australian representative team he will be a part of.
The senior Wallabies team are set to face England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in Tests while an ‘Australia XV’ outfit will take on Bristol Bears and an England A side in their fixtures.
‘That’s just always been so appealing to myself’
“To play in a Grand Slam tour, a Lions tour and a home World Cup in 2027, I feel like that’s just always been so appealing to myself,” he told told Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
“I just see myself playing in that and having a great impact with Australian rugby and the Waratahs and yeah, it’s very exciting.
“The next couple of years for rugby in Australia, I feel like it’s obviously a golden period of playing a home World Cup, the Lions tour and a Grand Slam. I feel like that just speaks for itself.”
Just two weeks after playing his last game for the Roosters in their NRL preliminary finals defeat to the Melbourne Storm, Suaalii was part of a Wallabies training camp in Canberra last week and spent the time reconnecting with some of his former team-mates from his earlier stint in rugby union.
“It’s been full on, I’ve been loving it,” he said.
“A lot of school mates that I played with in the GPS (Great Public Schools) like Angus Bell, Billy Pollard. So they’ve just been showing me around.
“I went to the Waratahs facility for the first time yesterday. Angus Bell has been honestly just showing me around everywhere.
“So it’s been good. It’s like going to a new school kind of thing. I’ve been enjoying it.”
Suaalii said he always knew he wanted to return to rugby union at some stage of his career but said he did not watch much of the code during his stint with the Roosters.
He also revealed that his conversations with Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt have been more about family than rugby but said he will be ready to shine for the two-time world champions if his services are needed.
‘I’ve always put my best foot forward’
“If I do get the opportunity, I feel like I’ve always put my best foot forward coming into selection and stuff like that,” said Suaalii.
“So yeah, if I do get the call, I’d be very excited and very privileged just to be a part of the Wallabies squad, which since school has always been a dream of mine.”
The ex-Australia U18 rugby union star described his return as “surreal”.
“But it’s been good to look back and just see the journey of how I’ve come through school and to play in league and now having my opportunity to play union for the Waratahs and the Wallabies.”
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