Suaalii gets Wallaby debut against England as Lions lie in wait

Australia boss Joe Schmidt insists handing a Test debut to Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii against England is “more of an opportunity than a risk”, despite it being the former rugby league star’s first senior game of rugby union.

Less than a month after changing codes, the 21-year-old will be at outside centre in the Wallabies’ tour opener at Twickenham on Saturday, with England still smarting from last week’s agonising 24-22 loss at home to New Zealand.

Suaalii, an Australian Schoolboys player in rugby union, made his name professionally in rugby league, appearing in the State of Origin and representing Samoa when they reached the 2022 World Cup final.

But he recently signed a three-year deal with Rugby Australia worth A$5.3 million (£2.7 million, US$3.5 million), which runs until the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Given such a huge outlay, it was arguably just a matter of time before Suaalii was drafted into a Wallaby side that finished last in this year’s Rugby Championship following five defeats in six games and is missing the injured Hunter Paisami.

But there is another reason why former Ireland coach Schmidt is pitching Suaalii into the cauldron of an 82,000 capacity crowd at Twickenham.

The match is the first of a tour where Australia play England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland on successive weekends, 40 years on from the Wallabies’ celebrated 1984 Grand Slam.

As things stand, these fixtures will be Australia’s only Tests before next year’s showpiece series at home to the British and Irish Lions, with the combined side coached by Schmidt’s former Ireland protege, Andy Farrell. 

With Australia having won just four of nine internationals so far in 2024 — the same record as England—selecting Suaalii is not the gamble it might appear from Schmidt, often dubbed a cautious coach.

‘If not now, when?’

“Everything’s a risk, but I would challenge that with everything’s an opportunity,” said Schmidt. 

“And it’s a fantastic opportunity for a young man… And I guess for us, there’s four Test matches left this year before we embark on a massive Lions tour next year. 

“So, if not now, when? It’s unlikely it’ll go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark that he can build from.”

The New Zealander added: “He’s a very professional young man. He’s had plenty of experience both playing rugby union and being professional as well with rugby league in the past and coming back to rugby union.”

England captain Jamie George said there was “this element of the unknown” regarding Suaalii, with the hooker adding it was his side’s job to “make sure he knows what Test match rugby is all about”.

Steve Borthwick, the England coach, has named an unchanged starting XV following a third narrow loss to New Zealand this year, with his side squandering yet another last-quarter lead after they were 22-14 up against the All Blacks. 

Borthwick was criticised for taking off half-backs Ben Spencer and Marcus Smith when England were on top against New Zealand.

Substitute fly-half George Ford hit the post with a penalty before missing a last-ditch drop-goal—an error that stemmed from a poor scrum featuring front-row replacements.

England have brought wing Ollie Sleightholme onto their bench, with attack coach Richard Wigglesworth saying: “It would have been great if we had a couple of those experiences where they’ve learned how to win instead of these feelings of ‘next time we need to do this’.”

He added: “It’s not happened overnight and it was never going to, but I do feel like the group, I’m really confident we’re going to get there.”