Wallabies give Suaalii a run on the wing for Springboks test
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union – Rugby Championship – Australia Captain’s Run – Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa – August 15, 2025 Australia’s Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii during training REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
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SYDNEY, Sept 25 : Australia coach Les Kiss has moved Joseph Suaalii from outside centre to the left wing for Sunday’s test against world champions South Africa at Perth Stadium.
Suaalii has started all his Wallabies tests since moving across from rugby league at outside centre, but Kiss said he had been positive about the switch of position to help counter South Africa’s high-kicking game.
“There’s a lot of factors that went into play here, but it just made sense to us when we discussed it as a coaching group, to launch him from the wing, and he’s up for it,” Kiss told reporters in Perth after naming his team on Friday.
“The aerial game is going to be big and he’s one of the best in the business.”
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Kiss said another factor in Suaalii’s shift was that it allowed him to field Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau as his starting centre partnership.
“Their defensive reads are very strong in that 13 channel, and 12, and now we’ve got two of them that can … take space and nail the men that they’re marking,” Kiss added.
“I would imagine at different times they would be able to chop and change and make some difference.”
Ben Donaldson will start at flyhalf for the second straight match after taking the playmaking reins for the 28-28 draw with Argentina in Mendoza earlier this month.
First-choice number 10 Carter Gordon fractured his leg when he came on as a replacement in that match and Kiss did not name a specialist flyhalf on the bench for Sunday’s clash.
Kiss said that starting scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan could move out to flyhalf if Donaldson got injured, but there were a range of other options.
“Hunter played 10 as a youngster, I have no doubt he could fit in there, and I also think Lenny would have the calmness of mind to be able to just work that first receiver role,” he said.
“In general play, I encourage all our backs to be able to adapt to the first receiver.”
Kiss named six forwards on the bench to counter South Africa’s famous “bomb squad” of replacements with scrumhalf Tate McDermott and winger Harry Potter the only backs.
“There is quite a strong awareness of who we’re playing, no doubt,” said Kiss, who has led Australia to three wins and a draw since taking over as coach in late July.
“We talked about the capacity of our bench to be powerful, strong … and when you look at their squad, what a juicy last 20, 30 minutes it’s going to be.”
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to his side when he named his line-up on Tuesday, moving a host of World Cup winners to the bench to give them something of a rest after their gruelling four-test series against New Zealand.
Source: Reuters
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