Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii explains pulling out of Waratahs debut

The wait continues for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s much-anticipated club debut, but the injured superstar and NSW Waratahs captain Jake Gordon are both expected to be fit for the start of the Super Rugby season.

Suaalii crossed from rugby league to rugby union on a three-deal worth more than $5 million last year, making his debut for the Wallabies against England on the spring tour.

The boom youngster was listed to start at fullback on Saturday, when the Waratahs battled to a 36-36 draw with the ACT Brumbies in Bowral.

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However, the 21-year-old failed to make the trip to the NSW southern highlands because of a minor knee problem.

A back injury prompted Gordon to come off early in the trial, a free-flowing affair in which both sides scored six tries.

NSW insist Suaalii would have played if it were a regular-season match.

The club is likewise bullish that the code hopper and Gordon will both feature on February 14, when the Tahs start their season against the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium.

“It’s a minor issue, he just pulled up a little bit sore,” coach Dan McKellar said.

“Rest, recovery, physio treatment and we’re hoping he’ll train Wednesday.”

But McKellar wasn’t ready to confirm fullback was the position Suaalii would start in against the Highlanders.

“We’ll see how he goes at training and nail down his position over the next couple of weeks,” McKellar said.

McKellar explained that Gordon had “jammed up his back”.

“So nothing major. It’s through his lower back, that will turn around quickly,” McKellar said of the halfback.

In Suaalii’s absence, NSW still showed plenty of backline strike power.

Wallabies speedsters Andrew Kellaway and Darby Lancaster crossed for well-constructed tries, as did Triston Reilly, with Max Jorgensen making some well-timed bursts into the backline.

Reilly, who played for Australia’s sevens side in 2018, returned to the Waratahs in 2024 after a one-season stint with NRL club Wests Tigers.

Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou came off the bench to make his first appearance in a Tahs shirt, while McKellar noted hooker David Porecki was nice and physical in his return after a long absence caused by an Achilles issue.

The Brumbies’ first two tries came through their forwards, but they also produced some good backline moves which resulted in five-pointers.

Five-eight Declan Meredith was a strong performer for the Canberra-based side.

“Our set-piece was miles ahead of where it was last year, defensively, we were also much better than last year at this time,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said.

“Our attack has gone to a new level, there’s a lot to be happy about.”