Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii wins man of the match in eye-popping Wallabies debut
Updated . First published
In his first senior game of rugby, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii lived up to the hype, the hefty price tag and then some.
A shock selection at outside centre, just six weeks after his NRL career ended, the 21-year-old proceeded to win man of the match on Wallabies debut in a breathtaking 42-37 win over England.
How?
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"I've come in, I'm 21 and I just feel I'm being myself," Suaalii said on Stan Sport after dazzling more than 80,000 fans at Twickenham.
"It's a funny story – back in 2003, Samoa and England played, and my old man took me down. I was only a couple of months old, and my dad loves rugby that much. Honestly, to play against England today at Twickenham, it's just amazing."
Suaalii, a former schoolboys rugby star, looked like Sonny Bill Williams with some of his offloading skills and Israel Folau in the air.
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Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii of Australia offloads for teammate Tom Wright's try. Getty
The highlight was a classy pop pass for Tom Wright's try.
"I just stuck to the process of just playing footy," Suaalii said.
"I've been playing footy since I was four years old, and my teammates, they played their role and helped me big time, just even throughout the game too. Just getting the win like that was amazing. It was very tough. I was just trying to get the ball as much as I can and I enjoyed my first game back."
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in action on debut at Twickenham. Getty
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAID ABOUT SUAALII'S STUNNING DEBUT
Joe Schmidt, Wallabies coach
"He certainly has a rugby pedigree, albeit having played a few years of professional rugby league, which has made him a really professional young man," Schmidt said.
"He is incredibly diligent around his preparation. That diligence pays off in the way that he performs. He's still probably finding his feet in the game. There are subtleties that are very different, but with that diligent work ethic, that professionalism and the athleticism that he possesses, I thought it was a really confidence boosting debut."
Australia coach Joe Schmidt celebrates with James Slipper. Getty
Michael Hooper, former Wallabies captain
"He's getting the ball away every time. He looks an absolute handful," Hooper said on Stan Sport.
"His ability to get the ball away, the damage that creates to the opposition is just huge. It really impacts the defensive line. It creates the opportunity for penalties.
"You don't want to ever force the offload. That's where a lot of errors can come. So being able to be silky and clever with the offload is such a game changer.
Australia's Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii celebrate after Max Jorgensen scores. Getty
"You see some of the great rugby league converts like a Sonny Bill Williams and his ability to get the ball away and offload, or an Israel Folau. It's a really great skill from rugby league game to rugby union.
"That's what sheer star power does to a team. Playing with Israel Folau was like getting a try a game just free, like getting a line of seven. And that's what this guy has the potential to do. You go into a game and you're going to get a try out of nothing.
"This is the X factor that you just can't train. These guys just have it in spades. This is what we've heard so much about what Suaalii can bring to this Wallabies team. Just that sheer talent. The ability to score a try out of absolutely nothing. And we're liking what we're seeing."
Morgan Turinui, former Wallabies centre
"The worry I had at 13, especially, was how much less time he would have to rugby league, where a 10m back defensive rule creates that space," Turinui said on Stan Sport.
"But he's that good and he's finding a way and he's going to get better and better.
"He was always going to be that great kickoff option. A (Stirling) Mortlock, a Folau in the air where you just go wherever he is in the kickoff. And then as an attacking threat, he's got that deft short passing game, so he's not just there to carry and offload."
James O'Connor, former Wallabies star
"His ability to keep the ball live has been second to none with what I've seen," O'Connor said on Stan Sport.
"I think a big element of that has been the guys utilising him well too. The guys are really connecting around him. He's doing things that other players just can't do. I think just his game awareness.
"He's a big game player. He's had three years in professional rugby league. I think he's just adapted really well."
Will Skelton, current Wallabies lock
"It's his first game of professional rugby, to be able to draw and pass like that, a little flick offload, and be able to find space," Skelton said on Stan Sport.
"Just his awareness around the field, I think the boys are really helping him in that situation.
"You can really see that the work that we've done during the week is getting put down on the field.
Joseph Suaalii of the Roosters at AAMI Park. Getty
"He's a player who's extremely professional. The way he has a routine, preparing for matches, preparing for training, it's really rubbing off on a lot of guys.
"I see a lot of guys meditating before games as well, which is not something that traditionally has been part of our preparation.
"I think his professionalism being part of an international team and playing for Samoa, playing State of Origin, and now playing rugby with us, it's been all class."
Australia 42 (Tom Wright, Harry Wilson, Jeremy Williams, Andrew Kellaway, Max Jorgensen tries; Noah Lolesio 2 conversions, 3 penalties, Ben Donaldson 2 conversions) England 37 (Chandler Cunningham-Smith 2, Ollie Sleightholme 2, Maro Itoje tries; Marcus Smith 3 conversions, 2 penalties). HT: 20-18
