A new spot on the field, and no complaints
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has spent his entire Test career in the outside centre channel. Twenty-four consecutive caps there. Now he is learning the wing, and he told reporters in Sydney that he likes it.
“It’s a different part of my journey of learning to be a great rugby player to learn different positions, but I’m enjoying it,” the 23-year-old said. He has logged only about 70 minutes on the left wing across two Tests, first against the Springboks in Perth at the end of last month and then in the 50-19 loss to the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Both games ended with him back in midfield. Injuries to Len Ikitau forced the reshuffle each time, so the wing experiment has never run its full course.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Midfield could call him back
The selection picture for Saturday is messy. Ikitau is out with concussion, Hunter Paisami is suspended and Jordan Petaia has an ankle problem. That trio leaves Les Kiss short of centres for the rematch at Accor Stadium, and Suaalii may simply slide back to where he started.
He sees value in the detour either way. “Seeing the game from a different perspective helps me be a better centre, a better full-back, a better 12,” he said. He has also played regularly at full-back for the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific, so the versatility is real.
Eden Park hangover, or fuel?
The defeat was the first of Kiss’s tenure as head coach, and New Zealand now sit on a 12-match winning streak in this fixture. Suaalii did not dodge it. “We reviewed the game brutally and honestly as well,” he said, adding that the group trusts its work rate.
The Wallabies arrive in Sydney with wins over Argentina, Italy and Japan behind them, and Suaalii called the All Blacks the sport’s biggest rivalry. He made his Test debut against England at Twickenham in 2024 after switching codes from rugby league. “I’m real confident that this week will be great,” he said.
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