1
Wallaby backs pursuit of Suaalii after reports of $10 million mega-deal
By AAP
Rugby Australia should chase Sydney Roosters flyer Joesph Suaalii if it will help them win a World Cup, current Wallaby Jed Holloway says.
Amid reports the 19-year-old sensation will field a monumental contract offer from RA with an eye to the home World Cup in 2027, flanker Holloway said the Wallabies' already strong backline depth could only be improved through the addition of Suaalii.
A rugby junior who played at the prestigious King's School and made the GPS 1st XV in 2018, the winger has immediately looked the part in his first NRL season, not only consistently starting for the Roosters but scoring 16 tries in 23 matches.
"If it is going to make our team better, I think would be great," Holloway told reporters on Tuesday.
"He's quite a talented person, obviously he's killing it in rugby league and he is quite young.
"We do have really good guys here in the team who you see - Marika (Koroibete) on the weekend, Tommy Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Jordie Petaia all coming through as well.
"We've got a huge amount of depth but if it's going to make us be better and help win a World Cup, then why not?"
Media reports say Suaalii would be offered $10 million over five years to sign with RA, as the main attraction on a shortlist of NRL stars to be chased in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup.
Australia has not won the tournament since 1999, and are among the lesser fancies for next year's edition in France.
Asked what sales pitch he'd give to the teen if that wasn't enough, Holloway encouraged Suaalii to consider the lifestyle the code-switch might allow.
"The beauty about rugby is you get to do what you love and travel the world," he said.
"It's genuinely the beauty of the game, you can go basically wherever in the world and take your pair of boots with you and play rugby."
Trending on RugbyPass
2
All Blacks assistant labels Italy game 'messy'
3
Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' weaknesses
4
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy
5
Latest Comments
Yeah well you guys couldn't do it at home could you, never mind in Italia. Theyve been good for a few years now, 23' when France and Ireland were at their best were arguably better Italian performances than this years 6N results.
My point was of course they don't want to get ahead of themselves and then lose against teams that they should be beating. That's the difficulty with getting better and better.
Go to commentsThey’re being dressed as midfielders. Neither of them is a natural midfielder, they’re both converts.
You can call a rose by any other name, yada yada, as Billy Shakespeare says. Semantics.
New Zealand went all the way from having a surplus of midfielders in about 2015 to having to convert wingers and two different utility backs (Havili, Jordie). How did that happen?
All the while actual specialist 12s and 13s are not even getting a proper shot. Laumape lost patience with that nonsense. Big Leicester as well (now that’s a winger convert that would actually make sense at 13). It’s literally stupid not to try players out.
Go to comments