Rabbitohs move to fight off Wallabies’ raid for teen sensation
He’s still in year 11 and has been signed by South Sydney until the end of 2021: meet the only player Wallabies coach Dave Rennie caught up with during his flying visit to Australia.
NRL
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South Sydney will look to upgrade gun 16-year-old Joseph Suaalii to fend off approaches from rival code rugby union.
The Rabbitohs’ stance comes as new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie met with Suaalii one-on-one during his recent hit-and-run visit to Australia.
The Year 11 student at The King’s School is signed at Souths until the end of 2021 but Rennie went out of his way to meet with him in Penrith.
In a bid to deny rugby, the Rabbitohs want to extend Suaalii’s contract to ensure he remains in league long-term.
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Souths have a history when it comes to securing rugby union talent. The Rabbitohs managed to secure star lock Cameron Murray, who excelled in the rugby ranks as a junior with Newington College.
Murray captained Newington’s GPS Championship winning 1st XV rugby team in 2015 before opting to re-sign with Souths on a four-year deal later that year.
The Rabbitohs hope history repeats itself with Suaalii, who rugby has in their sights for the next World Cup in 2023.
By that stage, the Sydney-born back would be 19 and more than capable of starring on union’s biggest stage.
Current Wallabies and Queensland Reds back Jordan Petaia was the same age when he made his Australian Test debut on the wing at last year’s World Cup.
Petaia also played outside centre in Australia’s quarter-final loss to eventual runners-up England.
Following Petaia’s success on the World Cup stage, the Wallabies wouldn’t hesitate giving another rising talent an opportunity to excel in the tournament.
Some rugby experts believe the budding Bunny has the ability to surpass Brian Ford as the youngest Wallaby ever.
Ford was 18 years and 3 months when he played a Test against the All Blacks in Brisbane in 1957.
It remains unclear if the international schedule would allow Suaalii to play Test football before reaching the approved age, but this doesn’t diminish Rugby Australia’s genuine interest in him as a future prospect.
The Souths back played on the wing for the Australian Under-18 side which defeated New Zealand for the first time in seven years last year.
Suaalii will line up for the Rabbitohs in the Harold Matthews ranks, which kicks off this weekend.
Souths have the bye in the opening round before taking on the Canterbury Bulldogs in round 2 at Belmore Sportsground on Saturday, February 15.
NRL STARS WITH RUGBY BACKGROUNDS
Cooper Cronk/Luke Keary (Australian Schoolboys 2000/Australian Schoolboys 2010)
Tyson Frizell (Australian Schoolboys 2009)
Damien Cook (Australian Schoolboys A Team 2009 on the wing)
Kalyn Ponga (Played rugby union while at Churchie in Brisbane)
Angus Crichton (centre/flanker/second row for Australian Schoolboys A Team in 2013)
Will Chambers (Played centre for the Reds in Super Rugby in 2010-11)
Jordan Rapana (Kiwi but was a squad member for the Western Force on the wing in 2012)
Cameron Murray (Captain of Newington College First XV in 2015)
Adam Doueihi (NSW Schoolboys starting fly half in 2016)
Clint Gutherson (NSW Schoolboys starting fullback in 2011)
Brodie Croft (played in the same rugby side as Kalyn Ponga at school)
Dylan Napa (QLD Schoolboys second-rower in 2009)