Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set to be picked for Wallabies Grand Slam tour after NRL season

NRL superstar, and soon to be rugby union convert, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has an opportunity to create history within six months.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii of the Blues poses during a New South Wales Blues State of Origin media opportunity. Picture:Matt King/Getty Images

JOSEPH-AUKUSO Suaalii could go from winning a State of Origin series, NRL premiership and rugby Grand Slam all within six months.

Code Sport understands that if fit, Suaalii will be included in the Wallabies squad for the spring tour starting in November.

The NRL star, whose Roosters club are hurtling towards the finals, will finish his league duties whenever the Sydney team is either eliminated or wins the title, with the grand final on October 6.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii after he was sent off in State of Origin game one. Picture: NRL Photos

The Wallabies will leave for the UK at the end of October.

This is one of the rare spring tours where the Wallabies get the chance to complete the “Grand Slam” by playing the four home unions; England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Australia has only ever achieved the feat once, in 1984.

Australia’s developing style under coach Joe Schmidt and performances over the past three years make it unlikely they can beat all four teams on the road, but it will be important to get Suaalii up to speed with the team’s style of play and formation.

Schmidt keeps his cards close to his chest, but informed sources told this masthead that if Suaalii is fit, he’ll be on the plane.

RA have contracted Suaalii for $5.35 million over the next three years and he will be the poster boy for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii could win a premiership with the Roosters and then tour with the Wallabies. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The man given the biggest contract in Australian rugby history won’t be left to flounder in Daceyville during NSW Waratahs pre-season when he can gain valuable knowledge and experience against the players he’s likely to face during the Lions tour.

There are no guarantees Suaalii would play in the Tests, but he is certainly in the frame for his international rugby debut.

Marika Koroibete was given a similar start after switching from the Melbourne Storm in 2016. Weeks after winning the NRL grand final, Koroibete was selected for the spring tour by then Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, and played in a midweek match for an Australian XV against the French Barbarians before his Test debut the following year.

Suaalii could follow a similar path to Marika Koroibete from league to union. Picture: Romain Perrocheau/Getty Images

And when Suliasi Vunivalu also made the switch from the Storm to Australian rugby in 2020, he was drafted straight into the Wallabies training squad by then coach Dave Rennie.

While he did not debut during that Covid-affected Rugby Championship series, his learning was fast-tracked and he eventually debuted for the Wallabies two years later.

Suliasi Vunivalu at Wallabies training in the Hunter Valley. Picture: Andrew Phan/Rugby Australia

Koroibete has been recalled to Schmidt’s Rugby Championship squad, but is unlikely to be available for the spring tour because it overlaps with his Japan Top League season, leaving a spot open for Suaalii.

All Blacks playmaker Richie Mo’unga, now based in Japan, spent time with Suaalii during the Blues’ Origin camp and was highly impressed, backing him to be a success in the 15-man code.

Suaalii was picked for NSW despite already having signed with RA, leading to some criticism.

He was sent off early in game one for a high tackle on Reece Walsh, and missed the remaining two games that NSW won, but trained with the squad for game three and was a part of their locker room celebrations at Suncorp Stadium.

The same venue hosts the opening Rugby Championship match between Australia and the Springboks on Saturday afternoon, and the Brisbane venue has sold out for the first time in 11 years for a Wallabies game.

Australia has won 75 per cent of their games at the ground.

“I toured here coaching Ireland 2018 and we won two out of three, but the one out of three that we didn’t was here in Suncorp,” Schmidt said.

“I’m not sure whether there’s any mystique in the ground and again being a bit of a pragmatist, I think when the whistle goes, I don’t think I’ll be asking Cobus Reinach if he’s interested in any history.

“They’re all about creating their future and every time a player goes out, they’re trying to create the immediate future. They’re not worried about what happens in the second half, they have to get what’s right, right in front of them.

“So I’m not sure that it will affect the players but it’s a nice bit of history to have on your side and the nicest thing about it is the support and I’d love to see a lot of that support and gold really pretty vocal in getting behind the team. Because while it might not change the bounce of a ball, it can affect the strength of belief and the motivation and the willingness to fight for the inches that matter.”

Joe Schmidt says Suncorp Stadium is one of the tougher places to play rugby. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Schmidt has felt the support of the public this week.

“Walking back from a function [on Wednesday], people in the street were saying good luck on Saturday,” Schmidt said.

“I haven’t spent a huge amount of time in the rugby community here but there seems to be a real support going into the weekend which swings both ways for us.

“There’s an expectation that we have to try to live up to, but there’s a support that we want to keep earning.

“With regard to that, I think we’ve got to make sure that we match up at set piece because whatever you do against South Africa, you’ve got to be able to match up at set piece because that’s where the whole thing starts. From there, they really stressed Ireland going side to side, the width of their attack.”

Originally published as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set to be picked for Wallabies Grand Slam tour after NRL season