‘First in, last out’: Inside Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s unique and intense preparation for rugby transformation

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has amazed his new Waratahs teammates and coaches in his meticulous preparation to become the best possible rugby player.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has revealed his strict preparation in a bid to become a cross-code star.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has incorporated a phone ban in his meticulous preparation to become the best possible rugby player.

The 21-year-old has amazed coaches and teammates with his intense attention to detail as he transitions from the NRL into his first season of Super Rugby with the NSW Waratahs, having made a stunning Test debut for the Wallabies at the end of last year.

In his first full week of training with the Tahs, Suaalii has been closely studying video of himself playing in the spring tour and during training sessions, paying close attention to his positioning on the field in defence, and his tackle height.

But Suaalii, who has 128,000 Instagram followers, has also made a habit of putting his phone away 24 hours before a game as part of a strict routine to avoid distraction.

“I feel like you learn a lot of things once you’re in a professional environment, you see what the best players do and you kind of implement it yourself,” Suaalii said.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has revealed his strict preparation in a bid to become a cross-code star. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“I do try a lot of things like diet, trying to stay off my phone quite a bit, that’s where most of the distraction goes.

“I do try to stay off my phone as much as possible and just try to be present, talk to people, and honestly just focus on what I want to do for the day instead of just calling on different things on Instagram, social media.

“It’s a hard thing to stay away from it. But for myself to be at my best, I know I just need to stay away from it.”

While most footballers scroll social media as a game-day tool to avoid crowding their mind with match-related thoughts, Suaalii’s unique phone ban is another example of how rugby’s $5 million man thinks outside the box to gain any edge over his competitors.

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said of Suaalii: “His talent is obvious, he’s a big physical bloke, he’s tall, rangy, good size. He’s got an offload, he can kick. He’s powerful in contact, he’s aggressive.

“The thing that’s impressed me most is his desire to want to work hard on his game and his character. He clearly comes from a really good family and he’s the first on the field, he’s the last off it, I’ve noticed that.

“And within any drill, he competes. He competes hard. And I think if any rugby player has that desire and that work ethic, they’ll get the best out of themselves. And he’s obviously been blessed with a whole lot of talent on top of that work ethic.”

Suaalii said the pressure from Australian rugby fans to deliver trophies for the Waratahs and Wallabies would not weigh on him.

“Honestly, I just want to be my best every day, every time I step on the training field, it’s just about competing and then just having that high standard to myself,” Suaalii said.

“I feel like all the external pressure, I put the most pressure on myself, I’m always harder on myself. So, anything external doesn’t really faze me, to be honest.

“I’m watching film on myself and, positioning-wise, where to be on the rugby field if I’m playing on the wing or if I’m playing at fullback or if I’m just learning off different players like Kels (Andrew Kellaway), even young Jorgo (Max Jorgensen), just learning off everyone.

“I’m just being myself. I’m trying to have my own path. If people are attracted to that, it’s a good thing.”

Originally published as ‘First in, last out’: Inside Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s unique and intense preparation for rugby transformation