Wallabies get MAJOR Joseph Suaalii boost ahead of British and Irish Lions series

Waratahs boss Dan McKellar has issued a positive update on star back Joseph Suaalii ahead of the British and Irish Lions series.

The head coach has eased concerns over the former rugby league sensation’s availability to Joe Schmidt for the Lions series, revealing that the injury was not as bad as initially feared.

Suaalii was stretchered off the pitch during the Waratahs‘ 28-21 defeat to the Reds last weekend.

Joseph Suaalii update

It was feared that he had broken his jaw, but the Waratahs confirmed soon after that the Wallaby had fractured it instead.

Speaking ahead of the clash against the Crusaders this weekend, McKellar disclosed further details of the injury, confirming that Suaalii’s Super Rugby Pacific season is over but that he should be good to go for the Wallabies.

“It’s a four-week injury, it looks like,” McKellar told the media.

“So he will crack on with what he needs to crack on with and be back in training really quickly to be honest. It’s nothing major, it’s just a setback.

“Obviously disappointing from a Waratahs perspective, but all going well, and most of the time it does, he’s not going to be missing any Test matches or anything like that.

“It’s disappointing for Joseph to miss a few games for us in the back end of the [season], but in terms of what’s ahead, everyone can take a breath and relax a little bit.”

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Friendly fire

The Waratahs boss says that the back is in good spirits and is back gyming with the squad with little discomfort or issues with eating and talking.

“He’s been able to chew and eat, with a little bit of discomfort; but it wasn’t your typical fractured jaw where there is blood and clear separation,” he said.

“It’s minor, with no re-wiring or anything that needs to occur that indicates it’s not a major fracture; but there is a fracture there and we need to look after him.

“He’s in the gym right now. He’s doing what needs to be done.

“If he walked in here, he’s talking and doing everything normally. He is as good as gold.

“We play a sport where it is collision-based and incredibly physical, and he’s got a whack … a little bit of ‘friendly fire’ and will miss a couple of games. “

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