by Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has finally completed his long-awaited code switch to rugby and started practice straight away at a training camp in Canberra this week at the invitation of Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
Suaalii trained in his new NSW Waratahs kit alongside his new teammates and the ACT Brumbies Wallaby prospects and cut an impressive figure, standing out from the other Wallaby defenders.
At 196cm and 98kg he is significantly taller than the other backs and is considered the second heaviest Wallaby back, just a kilo lighter than Dylan Pietsch.
Metrics aside, it’s clear the league newcomer is a big human being, a trait Australian rugby will welcome considering most top defenders are only on the smaller side compared to other top Test teams stand.
Suaalii’s raw athleticism could make him a handful on the wing, his height works well as a fullback, and his aggressive nature makes him well-suited to close-quarter centers.
He himself has no concerns about where he belongs, because at just 21 years old, the young star says he is ready for any challenge.
“I’m just keeping everything simple, just sticking to the process of training every day, getting better every day, just learning from my teammates and just trying to be the best player I can be,” he said at the press conference in Canberra .
“Look, I’ve always been open to playing centre, wing and full-back,” he said.
“If the coach puts me somewhere, I feel like I’m just a footballer at the end of the day. Any position, I’m ready to play. I don’t really have a desired position.”
Suaalii is embracing the challenge of learning the intricacies of rugby and that learning curve may determine where he should be deployed in his first return to rugby.
There are suggestions that Schmidt sees the young player as a No.13 or as a full-back, two positions that require great knowledge of the game and experience at Test level, a coaching project that would take time.
Time that Schmidt’s contract does not currently allow for.
Still, speculation is always entertaining and if he were to play inside center for Schmidt, he would have to play the role of the tough man with the ability to play the ball.
As a full-back you are often entrusted with the defensive leadership of the team and also as a link between the full-backs and central defenders. Communication is the key to success.
On the wing, spatial awareness, work rate and a strong understanding of kicking strategy are required as the Wallabies battle to improve their territorial control.
Finally, as a full-back you need an even better understanding of the game, the ability to kick, chase and catch highballs, but above all, vision and communication with the outside half are crucial.
There is no doubt that Suaalii has the size and strength to “just play football” in any of these positions and cause his opposite number some heartache in the process.
However, he will probably have to prove his rugby skills for Australia A, especially in the two games in England.
The first of the two games will be against the Bristol Bears, a team that plays fast and furious rugby, often passing the ball from their own 22 meter range.
Next up is the challenge against an England XV side. be even higher. That will be the true test to see how the young player’s physical performance scales.
He will be expected to cope well with the physical nature of these games, albeit with a bit more competition after the tackle and some much heavier bodies to move in the scrum.
So where does he fit into an Australia A team and then where does he fit into a Wallabies team?
In all likelihood he will join the Wallabies camp after the two-match tour, where Schmidt will no doubt have his eye on the British and Irish Lions tour in less than a year.
Suaalii’s height would be useful in the backfield, and while the winger has the best learning curve, he could perhaps find his first home at center center.
The reality is that the boy still has to grow into his body, which is an exciting prospect.
At Super level and for Australia A, inside center would be a good option to get him into the phase count early and his size would mean he would attract multiple defenders.
Should he miraculously be selected for the Wallabies’ Matchday 23 squad, the complexity of the attacks they would face would be a step too far at number 12, so he would probably be best suited on the wing.
Although he is only young now, recent revelations in the media suggest he could be playing rugby until 2029, when he will be 26, around the same age as current Wallaby centers Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau.
Australia are looking for talented wingers and have some strong full-back contenders, but the centre-back reserves are thin and a bit smaller physically.
Paisami next to Ikitau was Schmidt’s preferred combination, but after that the cohesion and physicality diminishes.
There are other centre-back options such as David Feliuai, Lalakai Foketi, Hamish Stewart and, when not injured, Isaac Henry, but none have dethroned Paisami.
The reason for this focus on the No. 12 jersey is that, while Schmidt’s center pairing is by no means tiny, it is on the smaller side when compared to the top-six teams’ center combinations.
In the most common center combinations of these teams there is often a player who weighs a few kilos more than 100, with both usually weighing over 190 cm.
Ireland’s most common combined average weight and height pairing is 363cm and 197kg, South Africa 375cm/204kg, New Zealand 385cm/198kg, France 371cm/209kg, England 373cm/195kg and Argentina 378cm/192kg.
You can bet the Lions’ center pairing will be of the same ilk.
To put it bluntly, it’s no surprise that the Wallabies’ center pairing is on the smaller end at 359cm/194kg.
While there are clearly some giant pairings such as South Africa and France, it is primarily the size factor where the Wallabies are outliers.
This may seem like an insignificant detail, but a greater and therefore more visible threat can sometimes be the difference between a defender maintaining his shape or being pressured to leave the lines.
Few interior centers hit as hard on defense as Paisami. At just 177 cm he is well above his height, but weight-wise at 98 kg he is perfectly in his own weight class compared to most indoor centers in the world.
This means Australia needs a more impressive center combination.
There is no question that Paisami has been the best-performing No.12 in Super Rugby Pacific and has rightly played the lion’s share of minutes at inside center for the Wallabies.
As mentioned, it will take time for Suaalii to be ready for this role. Still, his potential to grow into the No. 12 jersey is hard to ignore.
Being closer to the action at super level could perhaps also speed up his re-introduction to rugby.
The last thing anyone in the rugby ecosystem wants to see is being underutilized and struggling to get into games.
Many eyes will be on the young convert, luckily his debut is taking place abroad and away from the domestic media, so he may escape some attention in his opening appearances.
As he begins to reacquaint himself with the game of rugby, it will become clear how much he has to learn and where he will fit into Schmidt’s plans, but there is no expectation of Suaalii becoming a Wallaby in 2024.
