REACTION: Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been hailed as “freak” and “great” with his Wallabies’ teammates in awe of his striking debut in the gold shirt following the gilded code-hopper’s incredible display against England at Twickenham.
The modest 21-year-old sounded as if being thrust into the international cauldron before he’s even played a game of senior club rugby was just child’s play as he put on a show for his folks and was left smiling: “Honestly, I had so much fun out there.”
Suaalii made it seem absurd that he’d not played a game of rugby union for five years as, for the most part, he looked as if he’d never been away from the sport he had lit up as a schoolkid.
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Playing a full 80-minute part, helping create one try and proving influential with his excellent offloading, staying upright in the tackle and terrific high-ball challenging, the former NRL star was the toast of his more experienced teammates.
“Obviously, it was a baptism of fire. He’s put straight in there – but he was great, did his job, and he’ll learn. And he’ll get better,” was the glowing verdict of Fraser McReight, who reckoned Suaalii was key to their last-gasp winning try in the 42-37 victory.
From the restart after England had just gone ahead through a 79th minute Maro Itoje try, McReight noted: “I didn’t know what to feel. We had another minute to go, and what had been working us all game was ‘get Joseph up in the air’.
“He did that very well and we were able to get the ball back.”
A code-hopping 21-year-old has announced himself as Australian Rugby’s newest star.
As the Wallabies downed England at Twickenham 42-37 for the first time at the iconic venue since the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii made a debut for the ages.
Indeed, from the resultant scrum after Itoje knocked on under Suaalii’s keen attention, winger Max Jorgensen was able to be freed for the expertly-worked seven-phase winning score down the left edge.
Watched by his parents who had flown in to London, the highlight of the youngster’s tour de force came with a league-style pop pass over onrushing England defenders that sent Tom Wright away for Australia’s first score that launched their comeback.
“I just soaked up the whole moment of putting the Wallabies jersey on, it was a very special thing for my family and I,” Suaali said in a post-match TV interview.
“Honestly, I had so much fun out there, and I was just glad to get the win.”
It was the former Sydney Roosters and New South Wales State of Origin representative’s first game of rugby union since high school after he signed a lucrative $5.35 million deal over the next three seasons, but the 198cm centre showed few signs of rust.
Suaalii was in the thick of things from the opening kick off and his ability to get his arms free in tackles was a standout, which was best displayed by him setting up a first half try for Tom Wright with a one-handed, basketball-style, chest pass.
The Wallabies hyped up his debut massively in the lead-up to this game and their three-year signing of him is strategic with next year’s British and Irish Lions Tour and a home World Cup in 2027 on the horizon, and UK Telegraph’s senior rugby writer Charlie Morgan believes Australia has found its star attraction for those much-hyped events.
“Already, the investment seems promising. His presence alone will be enough to enliven the Lions series,” Morgan wrote.
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