Matt Williams’ brutal ‘Michelangelo’ criticism of Joe Schmidt and the ‘ridiculous’ story which shows ‘Australian system was so broken’
Ex-Scotland boss Matt Williams, inset, has called out Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt over his use of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
The Wallabies rounded off their 2025 Rugby Championship at the weekend with a defeat to New Zealand that was accompanied by some brutal criticism from Matt Williams about the use of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
It was last November when the NRL star made his Test rugby debut in Australia’s win over England in London, but he hasn’t yet been allowed to fully develop into the matchwinner Williams believes he can be.
Following last Saturday’s tournament finale in Perth, a match the Wallabies lost 14-28 against their Tasman rivals, Suaalii is now 14 caps deep into an international career where he has scored four tries.
Williams, though, believes the 22-year-old midfielder would have delivered more than he has if Wallabies boss Schmidt didn’t persist with a game plan that has him clearing out rucks rather than attacking with the ball.
“Artist who needs a canvas…”
Writing in The Irish Times before Round Six of the Championship, Williams sifted through Ireland’s upcoming November schedule which includes taking on the All Blacks in Chicago and then Australia and South Africa in Dublin.
Cam Roigard and Billy Proctor were two Kiwis he singled out as “fine young players” who will cause the Irish headaches, as will Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Canan Moodie of the Springboks.
Williams, though, was at his most combative when running his eye over his native Australia, accusing Schmidt of a game plan that leaves Suaalii an underutilised threat. “Outside centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is Australia’s underutilised superstar,” he suggested.
“After representing Australian schools at rugby, Suaalii immediately switched to the enormity of rugby league in Sydney. When he was lured back to union, his first senior game since leaving school was a player of the match performance at Twickenham when the Wallabies defeated England.
“Like something out of a movie, Suaalii dominated England despite having never played a single senior game of rugby. A simply unprecedented scenario.
“Here is one of my only criticisms of Joe Schmidt as the Wallabies coach. His game plans have not maximised Suaalii’s immense talent. Far too often, Suaalii has been condemned to clearing out rucks rather than carrying the ball.
“You don’t hire Michelangelo to paint the backyard fence. Suaalii is an artist who needs a canvas. If the Wallabies give Suaalii far more possession with time and space, he is a match-winner. With the ball in hand, he can light up the Aviva.”
Williams also fired shots regarding the pathway of second-row Nick Frost, claiming what transpired highlighted a “broken” Rugby Australia player development system. “The maturing of their 25-year-old second-rower Nick Frost to become the centre piece of their lineout has been at the heart of the Wallabies’ progress,” he said.
“I first saw Frost when he was 15, and even at that tender age he stood at 6ft 9in. He was then the New South Wales under-16 100m hurdles champion. He was also attracting interest from American college basketball programmes, but thankfully he loved rugby.
“Frost’s story tells you much about what has been wrong with Australian rugby below the professional teams for many years. On meeting Frost, I immediately rang New South Wales Rugby, where I had worked for a decade.
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“Before I was head coach of the Waratahs, I ran their elite talent pathways programmes. I told them I had just seen the most athletic Australian second row prospect since John Eales and for them to get him into their elite player pathway.
“Years passed. When they finally contacted Frost, it was nine months after he had signed with the Canterbury Crusaders academy in New Zealand. Ridiculously, he was not selected to play for Australian schools.
“Perhaps the two years he spent out of the Australian system and learning in New Zealand was the best thing for his development, as the Australian system was so broken.
“Now playing for the Brumbies, he has emerged not only as a world-class lineout exponent, but his extreme athleticism sees him as a highly effective ball carrier and a dynamic defender.”
