Red alert for Suaalii: Why Wallabies must work to prevent another Reece Walsh moment

There were plenty of reasons for Joe Schmidt to smile while watching the Brumbies down the Waratahs in emphatic fashion on Saturday night.

The Brumbies were fast, strong and accurate, and key Wallabies stood up in multiple positions - even in the well-beaten Waratahs team. With the British and Irish Lions tour fast approaching, there was a lot to like.

But there were also reasons for Schmidt to furrow his brow, and you can bet high on that list was the stubbornly perilous tackling of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

In only his sixth game for the Tahs, Suaalii was outstanding. As seen in the prior five, the big money recruit was ever-threatening, from all parts of the field, and in a tasty duel with Brumbies fullback Tom Wright, carried for 157 metres and beat nine defenders.

Wright outpointed Suaalii, and we’ll come back to that, but Suaalii also showed an encouraging thirst for physical dominance in contact. He carried hard and looked to hit hard, as well.

The concerning part came in the 49th minute, when Suaalii jammed in on his Wallabies teammate Noah Lolesio and caught the Brumbies no.10 with a shot that appeared to tick all the naughty boxes: high, late and with no wrap of the arms.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii taking on the Brumbies defence.Credit: Getty Images

Lolesio stayed down, but after the Brumbies went on to score soon after, the on-field match officials did not return to the incident. The Stan Sport commentators were slightly baffled, and so too were the viewing public.

The TMO, with angles not seen on the broadcast, reviewed it and determined there was no head contact. But Suaalii can count himself lucky, because it was late and with his arm right arm still low and tucked, his shoulder and upper arm made first contact.

A tad higher or to the right and Suaalii would have collected Lolesio in the head, and at that point, you’re talking cards and possible suspensions.

And we’ve been there before, of course.

Suaalii’s debut in State of Origin last year was one to forget for the youngster, when he mistimed an aggressive shot on Reece Walsh and with that right arm also tucked in low, hit him late and in the head. The Maroons star was knocked out and Suaalii was sent off just eight minutes into the game.

Joseph Suaalii flattens Reece Walsh in Origin I last year

The obvious worry for Schmidt is something similar happening early in one of the Wallabies Tests against the British and Irish Lions in July.

The Lolesio shot wasn’t a one-off, either. Suaalii’s risky tendency to stay upright and hit chest-on-chest was seen several times on the November tour, and he was lucky to escape scrutiny for a no-wrap tackle that collected Wales flanker Jac Morgan in the head.

Suaalii has been doing plenty of work with Waratahs defence coach Locky McCaffrey in lowering his body height, and no-one will want to dial down aggression.

But Lions Tests are won and lost by the finest of margins, and the impact of losing a player for a tackle-gone-wrong was seen when another star code switcher was sent off in a recent Lions series.

Tom Wright making a break for the Brumbies against NSW.Credit: Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams was red carded in the second Test of the All Blacks-Lions series in 2017, for collecting Anthony Watson in the head with an upright, shoulder-to-head tackle. After winning the first Test comfortably, the All Blacks went on to lose the second and then draw the third.

It is worth remembering Suaalii is only nine games into his professional rugby career, and it takes time to change heat-of-battle instincts. Barring the odd crackdown, the NRL’s tolerance level for high contract is far different.

But you can also be sure Schmidt and defensive coaches will put plenty more work into lowering Suaalii’s target zone, and use of arms, before the start of the Lions series.

It will be a must, because Suaalii will be asked to do more tackling for Australia. Wright and Suaalii’s battle of the no.15s was a cracker but based on the season to date the Brumby and incumbent Wallaby won’t be unseated by his NSW rival.

Wright - who ran 180 metres and beat nine defenders at GIO Stadium - and Suaalii both average about 115 metres per game. But Wright is a superb linkman and alternate playmaker, and is peerless in attacking through defenders in the middle of the field.

With ample wing depth, and no inside centres making irresistible cases, Len Ikitau is stay at no.12 for the Wallabies, with Suaalii at no.13, where he can run lines and ride contact.

But the Lions will also be poring over tape and setting plans about how to catch him defensively.

And you can be sure a trap for Suaalii to race in with a heart-in-mouth shot will be part of the plan.

Watch all the action from the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match, live and on demand.