Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Will Skelton headline Wallabies’ Spring Tour squad

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has named former Sydney Roosters flyer Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in a 34-man squad for the team’s upcoming Spring Tour. On Tuesday, Suaalii was selected in the Wallabies for the first time ahead of matches against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Suaalii signed a lucrative multi-year deal with Rugby Australia in March last year, and while the utility back still had a couple of seasons left to play in rugby league, the Wallabies appear eager to utilise the talent now that he’s in the 15-player game.

The code-hopper is one of three debutants in the Wallabies’ group, while playmaker Tane Edmed and outside back Harry Potter are the other two. 2023 Rugby World Cup squad members Will Skelton and Samu Kerevi have also been named for the first time under coach Schmidt.

In other big news for the group, ACT Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard and Queensland Reds forward Seru Uru also return to the squad. This Wallabies group will assemble in Sydney over the weekend before flying out to the United Kingdom next Thursday.

“The squad has had a chance to regenerate over the last few weeks,” coach Joe Schmidt said in a statement. “At the same time, it was good to catch up with a wider group of players in the two-day training hubs we had in Canberra and Brisbane last week.

“We have a relatively consistent group but will integrate a few new players on tour.

“Trying to balance opportunities for players, some recent squad members will get much needed game time with Australia XV, which also enables us to broaden our cohort of players in what will be highly competitive fixtures.”

Wallabies squad for the Spring Tour

Forwards (19)
Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors)
Angus Bell (#940, Hunters Hill Rugby Club)
Matt Faessler (#969, USQ Saints)
Nick Frost (#953, Hornsby Lions)
Langi Gleeson (#960, Harbord Harlequins)
Isaac Kailea (#975, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Fraser McReight (#937, Albany Creek Brumbies)
Brandon Paenga-Amosa (#918, Southern Districts)
Billy Pollard (#958, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club)
Tom Robertson (#898, Dubbo Kangaroos)
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (#914, Randwick)
Will Skelton (#883, Wentworthville Magpies)
James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates)
Carlo Tizzano (#982, University of Western Australia)
Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby)
Seru Uru (#985, Wests Bulldogs)
Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Jeremy Williams (#973, Wahroonga Tigers)
Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils)

Backs (15)
Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles)
Tane Edmed (uncapped, West Harbour Juniors)
Jake Gordon (#925, Canterbury Juniors)
Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings)
Max Jorgensen (#984, Balmain Wolves)
Andrew Kellaway (#943, Hunters Hill Rugby Club)
Samu Kerevi (#892, Souths Magpies)
Noah Lolesio (#934, Tuggeranong Vikings)
Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club)
Hunter Paisami (#932, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Dylan Pietsch (#978, Leeton Phantoms)
Harry Potter (uncapped, Moorabbin Rams)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (uncapped, The Kings School)
Nic White (#875, Maitland Blacks)
Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles)

Wallabies and Australia XV coaches have also come together to select a 30-man squad for a two-match tour in the UK. The Australia XV will take on Bristol at Ashton Gate and England A at the Twickenham Stoop next month.

Rod Seib will coach a group that includes 14 Wallabies, as well as 20-year-old prop Massimo De Lutiis who re-signed with the Queensland Reds last week. De Lutiis also holds the club’s bench press record, having surpassed the previous best set by Taniela Tupou.

Junior Wallabies playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and ACT Brumbies hooker Lachlan Lonergan are among some of the other key inclusions for this squad.

“To have 14 Wallabies as part of the group illustrated the depth that’s currently being created in Australian rugby,” Australia XV coach Rod Seib said.

“This tour represents a great opportunity for this group of players and staff to test themselves against two high-quality Northern Hemisphere opponents and is a challenge we’re all looking forward to.”

Forwards (17)
Angus Blyth (Queensland Reds – Causarina Beach Rugby Club)
Joe Brial (Queensland Reds – Easts (Sydney))
John Bryant (Queensland Reds – Souths Magpies)
Josh Canham (Queensland Reds – Harlequin Junior Rugby Club)
Massimo de Lutiis (Queensland Reds – Surfers Paradise Dolphins)
Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies – Bathurst Bulldogs)
Harry Hoopert (Western Force – Dalby Wheatmen)
Tom Horton (Western Force – Mosman Whales)
Tom Lambert (NSW Waratahs – Wests Juniors)
Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies – Tuggeranong Vikings)
Josh Nasser (Queensland Reds – Easts Rugby (Brisbane))
Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds – Gold Coast Eagles)
Luke Reimer (ACT Brumbies – Lindfield Junior Rugby Club)
Rory Scott (ACT Brumbies – Canberra Royals)
Ryan Smith (Queensland Reds – Caboolture Snakes)
Darcy Swain (Western Force – Tuggeranong Vikings)
Rhys Van Nek (ACT Brumbies – Easts Rugby (Brisbane))

Backs (13)
Lachie Anderson (Queensland Reds – Dural Juniors)
Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds – Inverell Highlanders)
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa (Western Force – Port Douglas Reef Raiders)
Josh Flook (Queensland Reds – Brothers Rugby)
Darby Lancaster (NSW Waratahs – Kempsey Cannonballs)
Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies – Tuggeranong Vikings)
Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds – University of Queensland)
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Queensland Reds – Gunnedah Red Devils)
Andy Muirhead (ACT Brumbies – Souths Magpies)
Ollie Sapsford (ACT Brumbies – Uni-Norths Owls)
Hamish Stewart (Western Force – Toowoomba Bears)
Corey Toole (ACT Brumbies – Wagga Waratahs)
Joey Walton (NSW Waratahs – Warnervale Wildcats)

Unavailable for selection
Kurtley Beale (Achilles)
Charlie Cale (Shoulder)
Filipo Daugunu (Leg)
David Feliuai (Family reasons)
Lalakai Foketi (Suspension)
Alex Hodgman (Family reasons)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (Achilles)
Bayley Kuenzle (Knee)
Rob Leota (Calf)
David Porecki (Family reasons)
Tim Ryan (Ankle)
Blake Schoupp (Shoulder)
Liam Wright (Shoulder)

Spring Tour
Wallabies v England, 2:10am AEDT, Sunday November 10, Twickenham, London
Wallabies v Wales, 3:10am AEDT, Monday November 18, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Wallabies v Scotland, 12:40am AEDT, Monday November 25, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Wallabies v Ireland, 2:10am AEDT, Sunday December 1, Aviva Stadium, Dublin

2024 Australia XV Tour
Australia XV v Bristol Bears, 7:45pm GMT, Friday November 8, Ashton Gate, Bristol
Australia XV v England A, 2:00pm GMT, Sunday November 17, Twickenham Stoop, London