Sonny Bill Williams: How the Wallabies can get the best out of Joseph Suaalii with All Blacks tactics instead of Springboks ‘extreme’
All Blacks legend Sonny Bill Williams (inset) and Wallabies outside centre Joseph Suaalii.
All Blacks legend Sonny Bill Williams has explained how the Wallabies can get the best out of star centre Joseph Suaalii in terms of his defensive play at Test level.
Australia are set to host their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in an eagerly anticipated Rugby Championship Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday.
This, after the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup for the 23rd successive year after clinching a 33-24 victory over the Wallabies in the corresponding fixture at Eden Park in Auckland last week.
There was plenty of hype around former rugby league star Suaalii ahead of that encounter as he has been one of the Wallabies‘ best players in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Excellent attacking statistics
Suaalii has shone on attack and is currently the competition’s top try-scorer with four five-pointers and is joint fifth highest – with Wallabies flyer Max Jorgensen – for metres gained in the competition (187).
Williams highlighted Suaalii’s attacking prowess but feels there is room for improvement on defence from the 22-year-old and suggested some adjustments from the Wallabies’ backline to get the best out of the midfielder in that department against the All Blacks.
“He’s a world-class operator from a physicality point of view. He knows how to tackle, but it’s the system that they’re in,” he told Stan Sport’s Behind Two Posts show.
“So I think from a Wallabies growth point of view, where they can grow in that space, is working and looking how they can actually bring a bit of pressure.
“Someone maybe stepping out, taking it upon themselves. I’ve done it a lot, or we’ve done it a lot, when I was in the All Blacks with Ma’a (Nonu), for example.
“Sometimes he’d be a little bit tired, so I’d jump out at 13, 12, we’d chop and change defensively.
‘Need to have that free reign’
“And I think there’s room for that with Len Ikitau and Joseph. I’m not saying that Joseph can’t make those calls. I just think these centres, the outside backs, need to have that free reign.
“If they can shut it down or get up and put a bit more pressure, they may come up with some wins.”
Former Australia captain and openside flanker Michael Hooper then asked Williams whether he wants the Wallabies to go out and make reads or be a bit more aggressive on defence and he replied: “I think the first thing first, sometimes they’re a little bit tight. It’s taking a couple of metres and being able to push up a bit more squarer.
“I could see, for example, Suaalii, once they’re numbered off, he’s pushing out to get them, which is rightly what all great backs should be doing.
“If he just took a couple more metres out to a couple metres width, he’d be able to push up a bit more squarer, and hence putting a bit more pressure on the backs skill set.
“South Africa go to the other extreme, where they’re just riding your face.”
