Source : ABC NEWS
If the Brumbies-Waratahs clash had served as an audition for the Wallabies’ fullback role, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii would have been a step closer to wearing the number 15 jersey by half-time.
Suaalii was devastating with his touches in attack during the opening 40 minutes at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night, highlighted by his try midway through the half that levelled scores at 12—12.
He used his pace and strength to charge over for the five-pointer after the Waratahs won a line-out deep in Brumbies territory.
The Waratahs were gifted the ideal field position from which Suaalii scored when Wallabies incumbent fullback Tom Wright was penalised (hands in the ruck) inside the Brumbies’ 22.
Wright, though, lifted when it counted in the second half, showing why he was considered among the best fullbacks in the world during the 2024 Test season.
He played a key role in the build-up to Billy Pollard’s second try of the match and finished with four clean breaks across the 80 minutes, helping the Brumbies run out convincing 40—17 winners and consolidate third place on the Super Rugby Pacific standings.
Tom Wright stepped up for the Brumbies in the second half. (Getty Images: Mark Nolan)
Suaalii had thrown down the challenge, but Wright responded, leaving Wallabies supporters none the wiser about who coach Joe Schmidt would select at 15 to play the Lions.
When other back-line positions are factored in, the decision may not be difficult for Schmidt to make, as there hasn’t been an Australian inside centre knocking down the selection door so far this season.
Schmidt may opt to use Suaalii at outside centre, meaning Len Ikitau would shift to inside — his non-preferred position — to re-establish the midfield combination they developed on the Wallabies’ spring tour last year.
With the ninth-placed Waratahs’ finals hopes quickly fading, Suaalii may find himself with fewer opportunities to push for the Wallabies’ fullback gig.
Meanwhile, the Brumbies are edging closer to extending their season into the finals, giving Wright more time to prove why he should play at the back against the Lions.
Pollard firming to be Wallabies’ hooker
A glance at the injury list across the four Australian Super Rugby Pacific teams shows three contenders for the job as Wallabies’ hooker are on the sidelines.
Matt Faessler (Reds, hamstring), Dave Porecki (Waratahs, calf) and Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Force, ankle) lie in the casualty ward as the conclusion of the regular season approaches.
This doesn’t make Brumbies rake Pollard the favourite to start for the Wallabies by default, as he has built his case for selection on form.
A hooker needs to be judged on their work in the set pieces and in this regard, Pollard has been a valuable member of the Brumbies’ pack.
Billy Pollard scored a double for the Brumbies against the Waratahs. (Getty Images: Mark Nolan)
A point of difference Pollard provides is his dynamic ball-carrying ability, no doubt honed during his junior rugby league career as a back-rower.
The first of his two tries against the Waratahs on Saturday night only gave a hint of what a damaging runner he can be, having already shown this season he possesses impressive speed and ball skills.
The second try highlighted how hard he is to stop in a “pick and go” situation from close range.
Pollard, who debuted for the Wallabies in 2022, started in one Test last year, against Georgia.
Should he maintain his form for the Brumbies, it can be expected he’ll be the preferred hooker to take on the Lions.
Uru not the fall guy in Reds’ loss
The harshest of critics may point the finger at Seru Uru following the Reds’ 36—33 loss to Fijian Drua, given he conceded a turnover that led to Isikeli Rabitu’s match-winning try in the final minute of play in Suva.
Finding Uru at fault, however, ignores the fact the Drua were the better team on the day.
And Uru actually created an opportunity for the Reds to hold onto a 33—29 lead with a late pilfer, only to spill the ball forward.
Just minutes earlier, Uru seemed to have secured victory for the Reds when his outstanding work over the ball at the breakdown gave his side a relieving penalty in their 22.
But after kicking to touch from the “full arm” and earning a line-out throw 5 metres inside the Drua’s half, the Reds lost the set-piece to the hosts, who subsequently moved play back down field.
Fraser McReight’s 79th-minute yellow card close to the Reds’ goal line didn’t help the visitors’ predicament, before Rabitu capitalised on Uru’s dropped ball to ice the Drua’s win.
Seru Uru has been industrious for the Reds this season. (Getty Images: Janelle St Pierre, File)
Uru — who made his Test debut last year — did enough in the match to again push his claims for a spot in the Wallabies squad for the Lions series.
His superb one-hand offload in the tackle put Jock Campbell away for the Reds’ first try in the opening half, illustrating the threat he poses in attack.
Uru’s work in defence was solid with 16 tackles for the match and he showed once more he’s a viable line-out target.
An early indiscretion — when Uru tripped up Drua scrum half Simione Kuruvoli — did feature in the lead-up to the home side’s second try, but lazy Reds defence was more to blame.
If the Wallabies have a fully fit supply of back-rowers ahead of the first Lions Test, it’s difficult to see Uru cracking a starting berth.
But he would offer a lot from the reserves bench with his skills on both sides of the ball.
Kiss appointment a relief for Reds
Les Kiss’s appointment as Schmidt’s successor as Wallabies coach is a “win-win” situation for Australian rugby.
The Wallabies keep Schmidt for longer than expected now that he’s handing over the reins in mid-2026.
For the Reds, they hold onto Kiss as coach, allowing the ex-rugby league international to see out the third and final year of his contract at Ballymore.
The announcement should prove to be a relief for the Reds.
Les Kiss will take over as Wallabies coach in mid-2026. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
If Kiss was to replace Schmidt after the Rugby Championship later this year, it might have triggered resentment among the Reds’ playing group, who could have been forgiven for thinking their boss was choosing not to see out his assignment.
But Kiss is loyal to his players and the knowledge he’ll be in charge next year eliminates any distraction at a precarious stage of this season, with the Reds not guaranteed a finals appearance.
They sit fourth on the standings with 28 points, six behind the Brumbies with four rounds to play.
A home final isn’t out of reach yet, but the Reds need to nail down a play-off spot first, with even the 11th-placed Drua still in contention.
The Reds have a tricky run to the end of the regular season, with matches against the Waratahs (away), Brumbies (away), Hurricanes (home) and Drua (home) to come.
Force let themselves down
The Western Force did themselves no favours in their 40—19 defeat to the Blues in Auckland on Friday night.
They didn’t respect the possession they enjoyed, having held the ball for 61 per cent of the match.
When they maintained hold of the pill, the Force produced some excellent passages of attacking rugby.
Poor ball security let them down, however, with the Blues scoring six tries to three, despite only having 80 carries compared to the Force’s 145.
The 18 turnovers Simon Cron’s side tallied included simple ball-handling errors, which couldn’t be blamed solely on the wet and slippery conditions at Eden Park.
They also dominated territory (60 per cent), with the Blues — piloted by Beauden Barrett at fly half — showing greater potency in attack with their entries into the Force’s half.
The loss saw the Force slip out of sixth place to finish the round eighth on the standings.
Harry Potter was among the few Force players to impress in the loss to the Blues. (Getty Images: Phil Walter)
Their season isn’t over, but they will need to make the most of their final three matches against the Brumbies (at home), Drua (away) and Waratahs (home) to qualify for the play-offs.
Kurtley Beale’s return from long-term injury was a positive for the Force and winger Harry Potter had some shining moments, as he did in the 56-22 loss to the Chiefs in the previous round.
Against the Blues, Potter, who debuted for the Wallabies against Scotland last November, pulled off one of the plays of the match after catching a Barrett bomb with his back turned to the oncoming Blues defence inside his own half.
He proceeded to glide his way through the Blues’ would-be tacklers with an incisive run that moved the Force inside the opposition 22.
The Wallabies have depth in the wing positions, with Waratahs duo Max Jorgensen (if fit) and Andrew Kellaway set to be the frontline candidates when the squad is chosen for the first Lions Test.
But like the Brumbies’ Corey Toole, Potter is an outside — but worthy — prospect and should be in the conservation at the selection table.
