SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s big money signing from rugby league Joseph Suaalii looks set to make his Wallabies debut on the end-of-season tour after being included in Joe Schmidt’s squad for tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old, who is likely to play in the centres or outside backs, could have been sent on the Australia XV tour of Britain but was instead named in the 34-man Wallabies squad.
Suaalii is one of three uncapped players in the squad along with flyhalf Tane Edmed, who has revived his test ambitions with a spell in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship, and versatile English-born back Harry Potter.
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Will Skelton, who captained Australia for part of last year’s ill-feted World Cup campaign, was also recalled to the squad for the first time this year.
The 32-year-old lock missed the July tests and Rugby Championship because of his commitments to his French club La Rochelle but said last week he had been in touch with Schmidt about returning to the test arena.
Powerhouse centre Samu Kerevi is also in line to play his first test of the year on the tour but there was no place for his fellow Fijian-born back Marika Koroibete, the winger who has twice won the John Eales Medal as Australia’s best test player.
Other notable absentees include loose forwards Rob Leota and Liam Wright, who have been ruled out with calf and shoulder injuries respectively, as well as young flyhalf Tom Lynagh, who will tour instead with the Australia XV squad.
The Wallabies face England at Twickenham on Nov. 9 before completing their Grand Slam tour with visits to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin on the following weekends.
The 30-strong Australia XV squad, also named on Tuesday, will play English club the Bristol Bears on Nov. 8 and England ‘A’ the following weekend.
“We have a relatively consistent group but will integrate a few new players on tour,” Schmidt said in a news release.
“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.”
Australia squad:
Forwards: Matt Faessler, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Tom Robertson, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Taniela Tupou, Angus Bell, Isaac Kailea, Will Skelton, Nick Frost, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Carlo Tizzano, Sere Uru, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Harry Wilson.
Backs: Nic White, Jake Gordon, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Tane Edmed, Ben Donaldson, Samu Kerevi, Joseph Suaalii, Hunter Paisami, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Max Jorgensen, Dylan Pietsch.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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