Monday Maul: Why the Wallabies are sweating on staying injury free

Incoming coach Les Kiss would’ve lost sleep over the terrifying injury scares to Wallabies Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Noah Lolesio. And while both received good news, it was an ominous warning ahead of the Lions tour.

The injury scares to Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Noah Lolesio over the weekend were not only a terrifying reminder of the ever-present physical risks of playing rugby.

They also reinforced the enormity of the challenge the Wallabies face when they take on the might of the British and Irish Lions in Australia this year.

Unquestionably, the most important thing from the weekend was that neither Suaalii nor Noah Lolesio sustained spinal or other serious injuries.

Both young men were cleared by medical specialists of any permanent damage so are likely to be back playing rugby once they’ve passed all the protocols and been given a full clean bill of health.

The relief is palpable because nothing frightens the rugby community more than the fear of players breaking their necks.

Although the chances are minimal, the reality is they still exist so the sight of any player being carted from a field with their neck in a brace is deeply distressing.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was stretchered off with his neck in a brace after he was injured playing for the Waratahs

For all its faults, rugby has been leading the way in trying to better protect players from head and neck injuries.

The game’s lawmakers have copped plenty of criticism for their clampdown on any collisions - regardless of the intent - that involve contact with the head and neck region.

While it’s true the constant stoppages and TMO interventions can disrupt the flow of the game and players are sometimes getting sin binned or penalised by overly pedantic officiating, there’s also no question the strict new regulations have contributed to making the game safer than ever.

Still, the nature of heavy contact sports is that accidents and injuries will still occur from time to time.

Suaalii was diagnosed with a category one concussion after he was unintentionally kneed in the head by his New South Wales team mate Andrew Kellaway during the Waratahs’ 28-21 loss to Queensland.

Noah Lolesio was cleared of serious injury after being hurt while in a ruck while playing for the Brumbies

Suaalii faces a minimum 12-day break from rugby so will definitely miss the Tahs’ next match against the Crusaders.

And with less than eight weeks until the Wallabies’ tackle Fiji in a warm-up for the Lions series, it’s plausible he could miss the rest of the Super Rugby season with NSW already all but out of contention to reach the playoffs.

Rugby’s $5 million man gave the crowd at Allianz Stadium a reassuring thumbs up that he was OK while he was being medi-cabbed from the field with his arms crossed and neck in a brace. After being cleared of any fractures, he was allowed to leave Moore Park and go home with his parents, who were at the ground.

Lolesio was also stretchered off the pitch in Perth with his neck in a brace, but the Brumbies playmaker was visibly distraught, and given an analgesic inhaler to help alleviate his pain.

The Wallabies’ first-choice playmaker last year, Lolesio was caught in an awkward position in a ruck during the Brumbies’ 33-14 win over the Western Force.

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt needs all his best players available

The match was halted as medical staff came onto the field to stabilise him, before transporting him to a waiting ambulance.

Driven to Perth Hospital, Lolesio underwent a series of scans, which cleared him of any spinal injuries, though there’s no date set for when he may be able to resume playing.

“Noah is in good spirits and will continue to be monitored by the club’s medical team over the coming days,” the Brumbies said in a statement.

“A timeline for his return to play will be determined based on ongoing assessment and symptom resolution.”

While able to breathe a collective sigh of relief that neither player suffered more damage, the injuries were another indicator of just how fragile Australia’s bid to beat the Lions this year really is.

Even if all of the very best Australian players are fit and firing on all cylinders for the three-match series, the Wallabies will still start as heavy underdogs against the combined might of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

On their day, when everything goes right, the Wallabies have shown they are capable of beating anyone, giving fresh hopes to the masses that they’re back.

The Lions won the deciding test to beat Australia in their last series in 2013

But those days are often few and far between because the Wallabies just don’t have the depth of players that other nations possess so need everyone healthy.

This always comes into play whenever they face a sequence of high-quality matches, such as in tournaments like the World Cup and the Rugby Championships or Spring Tours to Europe.

That’s the real underlying worry for the upcoming Lions series and why the sight of Suaalii and Lolesio getting carted off will have added to the stress levels of Australia’s embattled new Test coach Joe Schmidt.

While the highlight of the New Zealander’s solitary season in charge of the Wallabies was last November’s thrilling win over England at Twickenham, Schmidt has struggled to register consistent wins.

After opening their 2024 campaign with three successive victories over Wales and Georgia, the Wallabies lost seven of their last 10 matches.

Maro Itoje has been appointed captain of a powerful British & Irish Lions squad that will tour Australia this year

That inconsistency has continued during Super Rugby this year, with none of the four Australian sides managing to string more than three wins together, although the Brumbies and the Reds remain on course to at least make the semifinals.

The gap in relative player depth was further underlined this week when Lions coach Andy Farrell named his squad for the Australian tour, which was packed with high quality personnel and options in every position.

Unsurprisingly, the bookies have installed the Lions as $1.40 favourites to win the three-match series, with the Wallabies clear outsiders.

That’s not to say the Australians can’t pull off an upset at home because there are still enough glimmers of hope but they’re already walking a tightrope so can’t afford any slip-ups.

Originally published as Monday Maul: Why the Wallabies are sweating on staying injury free