Behind the rise of dual-code teen phenom Shalom Sauaso
There aren’t many teenagers in the land as gifted as 17-year-old dual-code phenom Shalom Sauaso. She is one of a rare breed of Australian-born females to ever play professional rugby and rugby league in the same calendar year. More here on her rise.
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There aren’t many teenagers in the land as gifted as 17-year-old dual-code phenom Shalom Sauaso. In fact, she is one of a kind.
Sauaso, who will start at inside centre for the Reds in this Sunday’s Super Rugby Women’s semi-final against the Fijiana Drua, is one of a rare breed of Australian-born females to ever play professional rugby and rugby league in the same calendar year.
Three-time Waratahs premiership winner Grace Hamilton, a 26-test Wallaroo, won with New South Wales in 2020 before making three appearances for the Roosters later that year.
Springfield sporting sensation Sauaso will switch her focus to the 13-a-side game upon the completion of Super W when she embarks on an NRLW pre-season with last year’s grand finalists, the Broncos.
Sauaso, still just 17 until June, is on the club’s top 24 books and once she is of age it won’t be long until the Kiwi-Samoan rising star is thrust into the rough-and-tumble code she started in as a West End (Ipswich) junior playing alongside boys.
“Grade 7 was when I first started playing with girls. That’s when I started taking footy seriously,” Sauaso said.
She is the middle child. Her younger brother TJ (halfback) and older brother Samson (prop) were also fine products of the Ipswich State High academy.
“My dad (Tau) always had this thing (growing up) that whenever we had contact day, my little brother would tackle me, I had to tackle my older brother and my older brother had to tackle my dad,” Sauaso smiled.
“That’s just how it went in our family training.
“He (Samson) has always had the height. As we grew older together he just got bigger by the second so he was kind of hard to tackle.”
Sauaso’s biggest strength, aside from her barnstorming ball-running, is her rib-crunching defence, which she will unleash on the Drua this Sunday at Ballymore.
Surprisingly, Sauaso’s first game of 15-a-side was her Reds debut as a 16-year-old last season.
Former Ipswich SHS and current Marsden SHS teacher Asaka ‘Digi’ Ono first got her into rugby 7s.
“She (Digi) is the reason I started playing union. She actually thought that I could play,” Sauaso reflected.
“For some reason she was like ‘you could play 7s’.
“Rugby 7s is where I first started, last year was my first time ever playing 15s which was for the Reds.
“She said ‘I can teach you everything’ so she taught our girls (at Ipswich SHS), we went to a competition and I actually quite enjoyed it.
“That’s why I love both codes. Because of the contact. I love contact.”
The support of friends and family has also been a driving factor in the rapid rise of the promising three-code prospect who thrives in rugby, 7s and league as a ball-playing lock.
“My parents are definitely my biggest supporters,” she said.
“They help me in so many ways that I could not explain.”
One of those ways was “tough love” early on when Sauaso couldn’t see a future where she realises her potential.
“I had a period where I was like ‘I think I am done’,” Sauaso said of her mindset in Year 8.
“My dad was always the one that was like ‘come on’.
“He gave me tough love and it proved out on the field I could do it.”
But Sauaso said the turning point, that made her want to go all in, was when herself and mother Terrie had a chat at a similar time.
“There was one day my mum sat me down. We had a chat about it and she told me that my dad gave up his dream to move here (Australia, from New Zealand).
“That’s what pushed me a lot more.
“With her (Terrie) being in the Police academy which she used to do and my dad being in rugby back at home. They dropped everything.
“I want them to know their hard work is going to go somewhere.”
While Sauaso is becoming a role model for young female athletes emerging in both codes, she is still a kid who just loves her footy.
The injection of Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick (fullback) into the Reds squad has blown her away and on Sunday the dynamic duo will look to return Queensland to the big dance after a down year in 2024.
“I actually bow down to those girls (Aussie 7s). Having Caslick here. I am so happy,” Sauaso said.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you how I feel about her being here. She is at the top of her sport.
“She’s been there, done that and now she is coming here and learning a new sport. It’s great having her knowledge.
“I am fan-girling for sure.”
The lighthearted rugby bulldozer is also mature beyond her years.
The Broncos have already started its pre-season training but Sauaso informed the club her first focus was giving her best for the Reds.
“I told them I want to have my full commitment here. I am not about doing that fifty-fifty stuff.”
Sauaso had been a member of the Broncos Academy for years before earning a fully-fledged two-year contract in 2024, the same year she played for the Reds, trained with the Broncos and spearheaded Ipswich SHS to the NRL National Schoolgirls title.
“What a phenomenal footballer,” Reds coach Andrew Fraser said of the tackle-busting midfielder.
“She has demonstrated throughout the whole program what she is capable of. She has demonstrated it over two years.
“She is a bundle of energy on and off the field and she has shown physically she can certainly match it with any level.”
“The experience of her versus Cecilia Smith was good to see Shalom step up in the second half. Effectively she won that battle.
“She is a special talent.”
Originally published as Behind the rise of dual-code teen phenom Shalom Sauaso
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