Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set to be fast-tracked straight into the Wallabies, bypassing Australia’s back-up side, when Joe Schmidt names his squads for northern tours on Tuesday.
The Roar understands Suaalii – the NRL wunderkind, who played for the Australian Schoolboys in 2019 and finished up with the Roosters last month – will be called up immediately by Schmidt after impressing in training last week in Canberra.
He won’t be the only fresh face in Schmidt’s 34-man squad either, with NSW fly-half Tane Edmed set to get the nod over Tom Lynagh.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Edmed will likely join Noah Lolesio and Ben Donaldson as the three playmakers on the tour. It’s understood Lynagh, who made his Test debut against Wales in Sydney but struggled to play back-to-back Tests because of lingering hamstring issues, will join Harry McLaughlin-Phillips in the Australia XV squad.
Australia has Tests against England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland while an Australia XV squad of 30 players will face Bristol Bears and England A.
The Roar can reveal Schmidt has Will Skelton and Samu Kerevi in his sights, with the pair set to join the Wallabies under his leadership for the first time. Whether they are eligible for all four Tests remains to be seen though.
But Japan-based Marika Koroibete, who featured throughout The Rugby Championship, is expected to be left out.
Rob Leota – the bullocking forward who featured in last year’s World Cup and can play right across the back five forwards – is another expected to miss selection, too. His absence comes after a frustrating few months where he’s been plagued by hamstring and calf issues.
Schmidt will name his squad at lunchtime on Tuesday in Sydney.
The New Zealander is expected to otherwise name a largely settled squad for what is the last time he will get his hands exclusively on the playing group ahead of next year’s British and Irish Lions tour.
The Wallabies haven’t pulled off a grand slam since Alan Jones’ side in 1984.
The former Ireland coach and All Blacks assistant will be juggling two things on tour.
He clearly wants to win every Test and build confidence within a rebuilding squad, but he also knows next year’s Lions series in Australia – the first since 2013 – will be what he’s ultimately judged on during his tenure. Schmidt is only signed on with Rugby Australia until the end of the Lions series.
Assistant coach Laurie Fisher, however, told reporters last week that the Wallabies were focussing on the present and snapping their 40-year grand slam drought.
Marika Koroibete. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“I mean, they’re stand-alone Tests,” he said.
“They’re games that you want to win. It’s a grand slam tour.
“You don’t want to look too far ahead, but it’s an opportunity for us to get better and to experience Northern Hemisphere rugby and to win a grand slam.”
The decision to parachute Suaalii into the Wallabies squad will cause plenty of debate after his high-profile cross-code move.
The 21-year-old signed a three-year deal worth around $5 million last year to join Rugby Australia, but Schmidt gave himself some wriggle room last month following the Bledisloe Cup series when he said he found it “interesting” that Suaalii had said he was coming on the Spring Tour.
It’s believed Suaalii has already turned heads with his physicality and diligence, with sources telling The Roar his immediate impact has already provided a wake-up call for some backs.
Tane Edmed. Photo: Rugby Australia
Suaalii could come in for Darby Lancaster, who isn’t expected to feature in the squad. Either is Lalakai Foketi, who was called into train with the wider squad earlier this month.
The decision to pick Edmed over Lynagh isn’t necessarily a shock, with the Waratahs playmaker putting together a compelling body of work over the past couple of months for North Harbour in the National Provincial Championship.
It’s understood Lynagh, who was unavailable for several Tests because of niggling injuries, could play against Robbie Deans’ Wild Knights in Japan before joining the Australian XV squad.
The selections of Skelton and Kerevi will allow Schmidt to decide whether they can feature prominently in next year’s Lions series.
Neither Skelton nor Kerevi provided the impact many thought they would at last year’s World Cup.
It came after Skelton broke down with injury at training after his most destructive Test against Georgia in the opening World Cup fixture, while Kerevi wasn’t as devastating either after an injury-riddled build-up to the tournament.
