The Fort Worth Press - Australia pick rugby league convert Suaalii to face England

USD -
AED 3.672975
AFN 68.000385
ALL 91.375023
AMD 387.229866
ANG 1.801743
AOA 912.462788
ARS 993.760198
AUD 1.498835
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.708892
BAM 1.817354
BBD 2.018528
BDT 119.468862
BGN 1.811598
BHD 0.376979
BIF 2895
BMD 1
BND 1.326309
BOB 6.932597
BRL 5.7119
BSD 0.99974
BTN 84.352642
BWP 13.347643
BYN 3.271727
BYR 19600
BZD 2.015108
CAD 1.38605
CDF 2864.99957
CHF 0.872602
CLF 0.034701
CLP 957.520095
CNY 7.142104
CNH 7.119295
COP 4326.25
CRC 510.778666
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 105.061995
CZK 23.398977
DJF 177.720077
DKK 6.907702
DOP 60.450145
DZD 133.521028
EGP 49.270812
ERN 15
ETB 121.550097
EUR 0.92625
FJD 2.238701
FKP 0.765169
GBP 0.770735
GEL 2.725033
GGP 0.765169
GHS 16.40502
GIP 0.765169
GMD 71.497294
GNF 8631.000023
GTQ 7.715252
GYD 209.148687
HKD 7.77165
HNL 25.100918
HRK 6.88903
HTG 131.519527
HUF 374.900501
IDR 15581.9
ILS 3.720195
IMP 0.765169
INR 84.29635
IQD 1310
IRR 42104.999493
ISK 137.359584
JEP 0.765169
JMD 158.217027
JOD 0.709302
JPY 152.98799
KES 129.000368
KGS 86.200981
KHR 4070.000064
KMF 455.949851
KPW 899.999774
KRW 1384.404977
KWD 0.30666
KYD 0.833101
KZT 491.386519
LAK 21934.999721
LBP 89549.999938
LKR 292.514542
LRD 189.350037
LSL 17.639859
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.845005
MAD 9.89101
MDL 17.92942
MGA 4620.000083
MKD 56.996114
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3398.000028
MOP 8.003196
MRU 39.915022
MUR 46.45024
MVR 15.397903
MWK 1736.000043
MXN 19.87955
MYR 4.403495
MZN 63.904993
NAD 17.640258
NGN 1681.529886
NIO 36.775007
NOK 10.861903
NPR 134.964041
NZD 1.66087
OMR 0.38501
PAB 0.999703
PEN 3.766497
PGK 4.01325
PHP 58.242502
PKR 277.905413
PLN 3.99615
PYG 7759.782195
QAR 3.64085
RON 4.609198
RSD 108.369042
RUB 98.00452
RWF 1360
SAR 3.756122
SBD 8.333912
SCR 14.086021
SDG 601.499754
SEK 10.706696
SGD 1.321055
SHP 0.765169
SLE 22.69945
SLL 20969.496802
SOS 570.999733
SRD 34.954997
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.747607
SYP 2512.530268
SZL 17.639841
THB 34.042501
TJS 10.626824
TMT 3.51
TND 3.10625
TOP 2.342101
TRY 34.251106
TTD 6.781204
TWD 32.119802
TZS 2689.999839
UAH 41.331747
UGX 3669.460499
UYU 41.563679
UZS 12799.999843
VEF 3622552.534434
VES 43.725768
VND 25365
VUV 118.722039
WST 2.801184
XAF 609.500846
XAG 0.029645
XAU 0.000367
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.749568
XOF 610.437077
XPF 111.625028
YER 249.825013
ZAR 17.304696
ZMK 9001.193685
ZMW 27.092044
ZWL 321.999592
  • BCC

    0.6450

    142.405

    +0.45%

  • NGG

    -0.3100

    63.81

    -0.49%

  • RYCEF

    -0.2300

    7.15

    -3.22%

  • SCS

    -0.0650

    12.995

    -0.5%

  • GSK

    0.5900

    36.49

    +1.62%

  • RIO

    2.2550

    67.585

    +3.34%

  • JRI

    0.1200

    13.37

    +0.9%

  • BTI

    -0.1200

    35.52

    -0.34%

  • VOD

    -0.0100

    9.3

    -0.11%

  • CMSD

    0.0550

    24.905

    +0.22%

  • BCE

    -1.0600

    27.68

    -3.83%

  • RBGPF

    2.1700

    63.17

    +3.44%

  • CMSC

    0.0800

    24.59

    +0.33%

  • BP

    0.0350

    30.195

    +0.12%

  • AZN

    0.3100

    64.16

    +0.48%

  • RELX

    -0.1150

    47.595

    -0.24%

Australia pick rugby league convert Suaalii to face England
Australia pick rugby league convert Suaalii to face England / Photo: © AFP

Australia pick rugby league convert Suaalii to face England

Rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will make his Australia debut having yet to play a game of senior club rugby union after being named in the Wallabies team to play England at Twickenham on Saturday, with coach Joe Schmidt saying "if not not now, when?".

Text size:

The 21-year-old Suaalii has has been selected at outside centre for the opening match of Australia's Grand Slam tour, with the Wallabies playing England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland on successive weekends.

A standout schoolboy rugby union player, Suaalii started his professional career in rugby league with Sydney Roosters.

But he has now switched codes, following former rugby league stars such as Israel Folau and Sonny Bill Williams, signing a multi-million dollar deal with Rugby Australia.

Suaalii is the only change to the starting XV from Australia's last game, a 33-13 loss to New Zealand in Wellington in September.

"With Hunter Paisami picking up an injury, Samu Kerevi coming in late, that was the best combination for us and a really good opportunity," Australia boss Schmidt told reporters at the squad's London hotel after naming his side on Thursday.

"Everything's a risk. The thing that I would have confidence around Joseph is how well he prepares himself. He's a very professional young man. He's had plenty of experience."

- 'Benchmark' -

Australia do not have a Test scheduled between the end of this tour and the start of their series against the British and Irish Lions in July next year, leaving them with few opportunities to give Suaali a debut before taking on the combined side.

"For us, there's four Test matches left this year before we embark on a massive Lions tour next year," said Schmidt.

"So if not now, when? It's unlikely it'll go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark that he (Suaalii) can build from."

Former Ireland coach Schmidt, asked why Suaalii was ready for international rugby union, replied: "He is a very humble young man, but he is very forthright about his preparation, and that gives us confidence."

The Wallabies lost five of their six matches in this year's southern hemisphere Rugby Championship under Schmidt, who took charge after Eddie Jones oversaw a woeful 2023 World Cup campaign where Australia crashed out in the pool stage.

"I see them as a good group of young men who are working hard," said Schmidt of his Australia side who were edged 31-28 by New Zealand in Sydney in September.

The New Zealander added: "I know the All Blacks were pretty nervous that day when we got close. We don't want to make people nervous. We want to make them miserable because we got the result. But we'll take nervous on the way there."

England come into Saturday's match following an agonising 24-22 loss to New Zealand at Twickenham last weekend -- their third narrow defeat by the All Blacks this year.

It was another game where England, 22-14 ahead, squandered a lead in the final quarter, but Schmidt dismissed suggestions there was a vulnerability for Australia to exploit on Saturday.

"Professional rugby players are reasonably attuned to just playing what's in front of them," he said.

"I don't think that they are necessarily distracted by what's gone on in previous games."

England coach Steve Borthwick named an unchanged team on Tuesday.

Australia (15-1)

Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Rob Valentini; Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell

Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen

Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)

G.Dominguez--TFWP