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International

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

By Finn Morton

30 days ago

Joseph Sua'ali'i is pictured during an Australia Wallabies Training Session at the AIS on October 14, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

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

Comments

5 Comments

MakeOllieMathisAnAB 28 days ago

Public service announcement: just so we’re all on the same page, Tane Edmed’s christian name is pronounced Tar-nay.

Cheers.

Lulu 30 days ago

Would Saulii not have been better off in the Australia XV. Only played league and now in the squad. Wondering what that will do for team dynamics.

To see big Will back is great. Need a big tour for Kerevi.

Ardy 30 days ago

About the best we can put on the field(s). No Koro but hoping it is just injury.

Great to see Kerevi back.

OJohn 29 days ago

No it's not.

Slipper is a joke. So is Williams st lock. So is Tom Robertson. So is Gordon. So is Donaldson. So is Edmed. It's a second string team at best.

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Comments on RugbyPass

OM 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

On behalf of New Zealand, I apologise for Ben Smith.

18 Go to comments

Mitch 2 hours ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

No doubt they liked Rennie but a 38% win record is hard to defend.

16 Go to comments

Red and White Dynamight 2 hours ago

Pablo Matera returns from ban as Argentina change 3 for Ireland

Incorrect. Matera plays mostly on blindside incl for Crusaders when they won title in 2022. Pumas tend to play their flankers left and right rather than 6/7 but Matera is involved in set pieces mostly on blindside channel.

3 Go to comments

Cantab 2 hours ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

It is true that some of the ABs losses were unlucky but it must also be conceded that some of their wins were equally fortuitous and even out overall. I firmly believe that provided the team takes stock of their shortcomings and remedy them while building on the positive, they will return to being the juggernaut of past glories. They are not that far off and Razor has largely developed a side which is capable of not only winning a world cup but returning to the top of world rankings. Boks beware as uneasy the head that wears the crown.

18 Go to comments

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 2 hours ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

As if we’d let such an obvious double agent ploy work on us lol.

Tell me, who was just appointed head coach of Australia’s Men’s 7s…???

15 Go to comments

PA 2 hours ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Campo , why don't you try Coaching?

Give Schmidt a chance to prove himself. Schmidt is a professional Coach who has done the hard yards. Give him the opportunity to prove himself. At present he's on the right track and getting better all the time. Don't bring the fact that he's a Kiwi, that's irrelevant. What's relevant is getting the best performance and results for rugby and Australia.

16 Go to comments

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 2 hours ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

None. Aussie coaches suck. But who are the 6 Australians better than Schmidtoh?

16 Go to comments

Jen 2 hours ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

You Bok fans must get sick of reading this stuff, honestly. They're a great team. Our ABs just need to play better and take the ref out of the equation.

18 Go to comments

Jen 2 hours ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Our rivalry with the Boks is special. I can live with getting smashed by an excellent SA side. NOONE ELSE THOUGH. Losing to Engerland is not okay.

18 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

PS, the only thing I could find on SA contractual changes was a while ago. I'm sure I was reading something more recent that was saying SARU are only involved with their PONI players. And as per above, 'private' doesn't mean billionaire owners in my book, just independant.

286 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Ok, managed to read the full article..

... New Zealand’s has only 14 and the professional season is all over within four months. In France, club governance is the responsibility of an independent organisation [the Ligue Nationale de Rugby or LNR] which is entirely separate from the host union [the Fédération Française de Rugby or FFR]. Down south New Zealand Rugby runs the provincial and the national game.

That is the National Provincial Championship, a competition of 14 representative union based teams run through the SH international window and only semi professional (paid only during it's running). It is run by NZR and goes for two and a half months.

Super Rugby is a competition involving 12 fully professional teams, of which 5 are of New Zealand eligibility, and another joint administered team of Pacific Island eligibility, with NZR involvement. It was a 18 week competition this year, so involved (randomly chosen I believe) extra return fixtures (2 or 3 home and away derbys), and is run by Super Rugby Pacific's own independent Board (or organisation). The teams may or may not be independently run and owned (note, this does not necessarily mean what you think of as 'privately owned').

LNR was setup by FFR and the French Government to administer the professional game in France. In New Zealand, the Players Association and Super Rugby franchises agreed last month to not setup their own governance structure for professional rugby and re-aligned themselves with New Zealand Rugby. They had been proposing to do something like the English model, I'm not sure how closely that would have been aligned to the French system but it did not sound like it would have French union executive representation on it like the LNR does.

In the shaky isles the professional pyramid tapers to a point with the almighty All Blacks. In France the feeling for country is no more important than the sense of fierce local identity spawned at myriad clubs concentrated in the southwest. Progress is achieved by a nonchalant shrug and the wide sweep of nuanced negotiation, rather than driven from the top by a single intense focus.

Yes, it is pretty much a 'representative' selection system at every level, but these union's are having to fight for their existence against the regime that is NZR, and are currently going through their own battle, just as France has recently as I understand it. A single focus, ala the French game, might not be the best outcome for rugby as a whole.

For pure theatre, it is a wonderful article so far. I prefer 'Ntamack New Zealand 2022' though.

The young Crusader still struggles to solve the puzzle posed by the shorter, more compact tight-heads at this level but he had no problem at all with Colombe.

It was interesting to listen to Manny during an interview on Maul or Nothing, he citied that after a bit of banter with the All Black's he no longer wanted one of their jersey's after the game. One of those talks was an eye to eye chat with Tamaiti Williams, there appear to be nothing between the lock and prop, just a lot of give and take. I thought TW angled in and caused Taylor to pop a few times, and that NZ were lucky to be rewarded.

f you have a forward of 6ft 8ins and 145kg, and he is not at all disturbed by a dysfunctional set-piece, you are in business.

He talked about the clarity of the leadership that helped alleviate any need for anxiety at the predicaments unfolding before him. The same cannot be said for New Zealand when they had 5 minutes left to retrieve a match winning penalty, I don't believe. Did the team in black have much of a plan at any point in the game? I don't really call an autonomous 10 vehicle they had as innovative. I think Razor needs to go back to the dealer and get a new game driver on that one.

Vaa’i is no match for his power on the ground. Even in reverse, Meafou is like a tractor motoring backwards in low gear, trampling all in its path.

Vaa'i actually stops him in his tracks. He gets what could have been a dubious 'tackle' on him?

A high-level offence will often try to identify and exploit big forwards who can be slower to reload, and therefore vulnerable to two quick plays run at them consecutively.

Yes he was just standing on his haunches wasn't he? He mentioned that in the interview, saying that not only did you just get up and back into the line to find the opposition was already set and running at you they also hit harder than anything he'd experienced in the Top 14. He was referring to New Zealands ultra-physical, burst-based Super style of course, which he was more than a bit surprised about. I don't blame him for being caught out.

He still sent the obstruction back to the repair yard though!

What wouldn’t the New Zealand rugby public give to see the likes of Mauvaka and Meafou up front..

Common now Nick, don't go there! Meafou showed his Toulouse shirt and promptly got his citizenship, New Zealand can't have him, surely?!?

As I have said before with these subjects, really enjoy your enthusiasm for their contribution on the field and I'd love to see more of their shapes running out for Vern Cotter and the like styled teams.

286 Go to comments

Longshanks 2 hours ago

The Wallabies have a serious problem

No love for Ollie Hoskins? Decent Aussie tighthead playing for Saracens

11 Go to comments

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 3 hours ago

Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat

I don’t agree with everything there, but I fear you may be right about Ardie.

Moana Pasifika are not a New Zealand franchise officially, which means they can play Ardie for 80 minutes each week if they want to.

And they’ll want to.

And it is rare to see players come back from Japan in equal or better form when they left.

Jerome Kaino and Michael Hooper are the only two I can think of.