‘That’s huge’: Wallabies’ $5 million disaster in nightmare loss

The Wallabies’ worst nightmare is coming true with horrible news emerging from Australia’s brutal Scotland defeat.

The Wallabies’ worst nightmare may be coming true with $5 million man Joseph Suaalii appearing to suffer a serious injury during Australia’s nightmare loss to Scotland on Monday morning (AEDT).

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu scored a try against the land of his birth in the 27-13 win at Murrayfield.

Tuipulotu’s try helped dash the wallabies’ dreams of a Grand Slam spring tour with the Scots a class above the Wallabies in the second half after heading into the sheds at half time 7-3.

Second half-tries from Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Bayliss and Finn Russell put the result beyond doubt.

By contrast, Australia could only manage two Noah Lolesio penalties and debutant Harry Potter’s late converted try in reply.

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The result was brutal, but the messages that came from the Wallabies’ camp were even more difficult to hear.

To add salt into the wound it was Tuipulotu, 27, who was involved in the crunching first half tackle that saw Suaalii go down grabbing his arm.

Suaalii received treatment on the ground, but was able to walk off the field.

Wallabies legend Tim Horan said on the Stan broadcast at half time the word from the Wallabies camp was that Suaalii had suffered a broken arm or a broken wrist.

“As soon as he made the hit, his right wrist, he held up,” Horan said.

“Straight away he went off. Tuipulotu had a bit of a laugh with him. That’s huge. If he has a broken arm or broken wrist that’s 8-10 weeks at least. That’s probably season over.”

However, the news from the sheds after the game was that the injury may not have been as bad as first thought.

You can watch the Suaalii incident unfold in the video above

Joseph Suaalii left the field. Photo: Supplied.

“He’s got a pretty numb arm, but we’re hopeful it’s not too bad,” said Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.

Horan earlier said: “Initial reports courtesy of the Wallabies’ camp was that he had broken his arm and then throughout the second half we were getting messages saying, ‘Well, we’re not quite sure, maybe it’s not as bad as we first thought’.”

It would be a disaster for Rugby Australia to lose its golden boy so early in a three-year contract reported to be worth $5 million.

The deal reportedly has contract clauses that could extend the contract for a further two years.

Right now, the focus is purely on Suaalii as a player.

Tuipulotu, meanwhile, received the trophy from his Greenock-born grandmother — through her he qualifies for Scotland — after a team sponsor flew Jacqueline Thomson over from Australia to watch the match.

“It was an amazing moment,” he told the BBC of collecting the trophy.

“When she handed over the cup she said ‘you got ‘em!’”

The Wallabies came into this match on the back of last week’s 52-20 rout of Wales, having launched their tour with a last-gasp 42-37 win over England.

The tackle that did the damage. Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP.

Victory on Monday would have left Australia coach Joe Schmidt, formerly in charge of Ireland, bidding for a clean sweep of wins over the Home Nations — England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales — against his old side in Dublin next weekend.

But Scotland, increasingly fluent in attack, ensured there would be no repeat of Australia’s celebrated 1984 Grand Slam.

“I know everyone really wanted to be a part of a bit of history,” Australia captain Harry Wilson told reporters.

“It does hurt, but for us it’s pretty exciting to get the opportunity against Ireland in six days’ time.”

Schmidt rued Australia’s failure to take their chances and slack defending. “You can’t miss 30-plus tackles in an international against a really good team and expect to get the result at the end of it,” said the New Zealander.

Victory meant Scotland ended their November campaign with the ‘statement win’ over a leading nation demanded by coach Gregor Townsend following this month’s 32-15 loss at home to world champions South Africa.

Scotland were too good. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images.

Even so, Townsend was far from satisfied after Scotland’s error-strewn opening 40 minutes.

“It shows we can get a win when we’re not playing as well,” he told the BBC.

“We’re better than some of the aspects today, but I’m proud that the players found a way to win.”

Australia, who had initially made six changes to the team that won in Cardiff, were forced into two more, with lock Jeremy Williams withdrawing through illness shortly before kick-off on Sunday, a day after hooker Matt Faessler was sidelined by a calf injury.

Despite the disruption, Lolesio’s penalty gave Australia a 12th-minute lead. Scotland, however, went 7-3 ahead in the 22nd minute.

A clever play saw hooker Ewan Ashman deliberately throw the ball over the top of a line-out to onrushing Melbourne-born centre Tuipulotu, who burst through Len Ikitau’s attempted tackle for a try converted by playmaker Russell.

Russell’s penalty early in the second half pushed Scotland 10-3 ahead. A Scotland break-out move deep inside their own half led to an Australia drop-out from beneath the Wallabies’ posts.

From the kick reception, Scotland worked an overlap in the 51st minute that allowed Van der Merwe to go over for his 30th try in 44 Tests as he regained outright the national try record from team-mate Darcy Graham.

Russell landed a tough conversion from the touchline and Scotland were well clear at 17-6.

Replacement flanker Bayliss then surged over in the 67th minute as he powered away from a trio of would-be tacklers.

Three minutes later, a slick move involving backs Huw Jones and Blair Kinghorn, allowed Russell to burst through from close range, with Potter’s try too little too late for the Wallabies

— with AFP

Originally published as ‘That’s huge’: Wallabies’ $5 million disaster in nightmare loss