Suaalii in frame to make Wallabies debut next November

Joseph Suaalii could line up for the Wallabies in their November tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland next year after Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh confirmed that the deal to bring the Roosters winger to rugby will go ahead.

“We’re committed to Joseph, he’s coming in in November, hopefully, for the spring tour [next year],” Waugh said. “We need to deliver on what we say we’re going to deliver on – and that’s a big part of it.”

Waugh confirmed that talks were ongoing with Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who is off contract with the NSW Waratahs at the end of 2024 and has been linked to Suaalii’s current club the Sydney Roosters. Waugh said RA was hopeful of retaining the 23-year-old, who he said was a key figure in the future of the code.

“The talks are continuing,” Waugh said. “I think Mark Nawaqanitawase has come on the scene in the last really 12 months, and he’s a world-class athlete and a world-class human being to be fair. Those athletes in our system as role models, to young boys and girls are critical for the growth of our game.

“We’ll work through it with all our good athletes and good people and make sure that they feel genuinely invested in rugby, but as I’ve said, we’ve got to provide the confidence that we’re delivering the best possible high-performance environment for them to be at their best – and that’s been questionable over a period of time.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh and chairman Dan Herbert have plenty of work ahead of them.Credit: Getty

Waugh and new RA chairman Daniel Herbert have an overflowing in-tray to tackle, with the immediate priority to appoint a new high-performance director who will oversee the next Wallabies coach.

Final interviews are currently taking place for the role. Asked when he would like the role filled, Waugh said, “Ideally, yesterday, but that’s not the reality.

“I think as soon as practically possible really, because we know where we are in the cycle. You know everyone keeps talking about the golden decade but we’re going to be a long way into the decade before we start delivering if we don’t actually start making some pivotal appointments and change.”

Once the high-performance director position is filled, the successful candidate will help select the new Wallabies coach to replace Eddie Jones, who completed his last day at Rugby Australia last Saturday.

Rugby fans will hope to get a glimpse of Joseph Suaalii in Wallabies’ colours next November.Credit: Getty

Argentine newspaper Ole recently reported that Michael Cheika wants to stay with the Pumas until the next World Cup in 2027 and Waugh was asked whether assistant coach of the All Blacks Joe Schmidt could be a prospective candidate as Wallabies coach.

“It could be, I mean, it could be it could be anyone,” Waugh said. “The head coach is really important, but probably more important is actually the head coach’s ability to attract the best talent into the coaching team and the management team.

“So I’m probably more interested in the overall package and how we bring together the best culture and assistant coaches and management as I am the head coach.”

After RA’s deals with commercial partners Harvey Norman and eToro were not renewed, Waugh strongly refuted media claims that major sponsor Cadbury had expressed concerns about the health of the game in Australia.

Andrew Forrest with former Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan.Credit: Rugby Australia

“We’re re-entering new agreements with commercial partners and we’ve got a really close relationship with our major sponsor Cadbury,” Waugh said.

“I speak to Darren [O’Brien], who’s the president of Mondelez, the parent company of Cadbury, almost daily, and I’m very conscious as the CEO that we need to deliver and perform and add value to their product.

“I think that the value proposition of our game and what we can deliver, both locally and internationally, is really compelling for strong brands.”

This masthead reported last week that long-term supporter of Australian rugby Andrew Forrest will make his first foray into the NRL through a proposed sponsorship of the St George Illawarra Dragons by his renewable energy company Squadron Energy.

Waugh said he was confident that Forrest would continue to provide commercial support to rugby.

“I’ve been heavily engaged with Andrew and Nicola Forrest,” Waugh said. “Their ongoing investment is such a pivotal part of the overall national footprint of rugby in Australia.

“I think this investment in the Dragons is just another one of their investments putting back into communities that they do so well around the world.”

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