Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s muted return against the Western Force in Sydney on Friday night was partly due to the visitors’ smart tactics of starving the Waratahs of the ball.
It was further evidence of how adept Australian teams are at shutting each other down.
It was also because he missed more than a month of rugby due to a hamstring injury, and his timing isn’t quite in sync with his teammates.
But the third part of this narrative is that the quality of Suaalii’s debut performance against England at the end of 2024 was inflated far above reality.
It has set an expectation that he will dominate every contest, and no other No.13 in the world is doing that. That Twickenham Test against England, won 42-37 by the Wallabies, has been like a millstone around his neck ever since, though it’s clear he is still very much in the learning stage of his rugby career.
But don’t be surprised if he is much more influential against the Highlanders in Dunedin next Saturday afternoon.
The Force’s ability to limit Suaalii’s impact was mirrored by how cleverly the Waratahs limited Zac Lomax’s influence under the high ball and reflected a bigger picture: the four Australian teams have been each other’s worst enemies in Super Rugby.
Look at the ladder: despite the Brumbies having a 4-1 record against the Kiwis and the Reds are 2-2 in trans-Tasman games ahead of their clash with the Chiefs on Friday, the Reds are fourth, the Brumbies are sixth, the Waratahs are eighth and the Force are 10th.
So, the Waratahs’ use of Lawson Creighton to contest the high ball against Lomax was just the latest sign of how adept Australian teams have become at negating each other.
The Waratahs have beaten the Brumbies and Reds, while the Queenslanders have swept the Brumbies but lost at home to the Force – and on it goes.
Equality is hurting Australia
The supreme irony of the dilemma described above is that an equal distribution of talent – what should be a force for good – is actually hurting Australia’s hopes of securing a home play-off. Man for man, the Australian squads are relatively even compared to the situation in New Zealand, where the weakest side – the Highlanders – is a level below the other four.
The other four Kiwi sides have beaten the Highlanders so far, and the Hurricanes and Chiefs are odds-on to defeat them twice before the end of the regular season. Advocates for a trans-Tasman player draft are on the right track but are overreaching.
Australia should tell New Zealand they need to replicate the talent spread present in their own system, where the form Australian No.9, No.10 and outside back are all in Perth (see item below).
Failing that, Rugby Australia should push hard for a conference system in a 10-team competition next year, where the top two sides in Australia make the semi-finals.
Super Rugby team of the week
1. Sef Fa’agaese (Force), 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Force), 3. Zane Nonggorr (Reds), 4. Seru Uru (Reds), 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds), 6. Joe Brial (Reds), 7. Fraser McReight (Reds), 8. Nick Champion de Crespigny (Force), 9. Henry Robertson (Force), 10. Ben Donaldson (Force) – player of the week, 11. Dylan Pietsch (Force), 12. Hunter Paisami (Reds), 13. Josh Flook (Reds), 14. Filipo Daugunu (Reds), 15. Mac Grealy (Force)
Good signs for Joe Schmidt
The Reds-Brumbies game in Brisbane was the best match of the weekend. It was intense, but punctuated by moments of individual skill: Joe Brial’s pick up down the right-hand touchline and Jock Campbell’s big touch finder off his left boot among them.
As the July Tests approach, it was a reassuring sight for Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt. The Leinster contingent in first-up opponents Ireland again showed their quality over the weekend by beating Toulon to qualify for the Champions Cup final, so the Wallabies will need to hit the ground running.
Big Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is in great form, Hunter Paisami was nice and direct, and the Reds’ back row of Brial, Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson pipped their opposites.
The Robertson, Donaldson show
Force No.10 Ben Donaldson is in career-best form, but it is almost impossible to separate his excellent performance against the Waratahs from the quality of his halves partner Henry Robertson. The Force No.9 will make his Wallabies debut this year – you can put your house on it.
No other halfback in Australia has linked his forwards and backs as well as Robertson during the past month or so, and his running threat around the ruck creates space for Donaldson. His box-kicking is also outstanding.
As mentioned in item one, only the strength of Waratahs No.10 Creighton under the high ball in Sydney prevented Lomax from having a field day.
But not even Creighton could stop Dylan Pietsch, the Force winger who is now setting the standard for Australian outside backs.
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Paul Cully is a rugby columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
