Suaalii return doubtful as Wallabies injury list expands

Zac Lomax helped the Western Force become the third Australian side to beat the Crusaders this season, but chances of his former Origin teammate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii helping the Waratahs complete a clean sweep on Friday in New Zealand appear slim.

Suaalii is recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered in the warm-up of the Waratahs’ loss to the Hurricanes in March.

It was announced he would face a six-to-eight-week period of rehab. The six-week timeframe expires this week, with the Waratahs facing the Crusaders on the opening night of Super Round. It will also be the grand opening of the new A$560 million stadium in Christchurch, meaning a sold-out crowd of 25,000 and a buzzing atmosphere under the roof.

A Waratahs’ win – their first since 2004 in Christchurch – would be an all-time party spoiler.

But after coach Dan McKellar last week indicated Suaalii could potentially return for the blockbuster game, he downgraded the optimism on Friday night, saying the appetite for risk when it comes to the superstar centre is very low.

“He trained well today, had a really good session. So, yeah, he’s close,” McKellar said.

“I hope he’s playing. No one wants him playing more than us and obviously Joseph himself, as do all the fans and supporters.

“But unfortunately, we need to be patient and make sure he’s ready because the last thing we want to do is expose him before he’s not right and then all of a sudden we’re seeing him in another couple of months.”

The Tahs fly to New Zealand on Thursday, a factor that could add even more caution around a hamstring injury.

The Waratahs are owned by Rugby Australia, meaning the priorities of the Wallabies’ upcoming Tests in July will be a strong factor – if not the deciding factor – in when Suaalii returns.

The list of injured Wallabies, or players who’ve spent time on the sidelines this year, is already a concern for coach Joe Schmidt. Prop Angus Bell was taken from the field in an Ulster-Leinster clash in Ireland on Saturday morning, and is awaiting scans on an ankle injury to learn if he’ll miss the July Tests against France, Ireland and Italy.

Will Skelton (Achilles) is out for the year, and England-based Len Ikitau (shoulder) and Tom Hooper (knee) have both been sidelined this year for long stretches. At home, Tate McDermott (hamstring), Charlie Cale (shoulder), and Carter Gordon (knee) are all sidelined, Tom Lynagh has been lightly played, and Tom Wright (knee) and Allan Alaalatoa (back) have both recently returned from injury.

The good news for Schmidt is that new signing Lomax turned in a promising performance in his starting debut for the Force against the Crusaders on Saturday in Perth, in which the code-switcher scored a try in a 31-26 win.

Wallaby trio Dylan Pietsch, Jeremy Williams and Carlo Tizzano also shone, and Ben Donaldson pushed further for a return to the Wallabies with a dominant effort at No.10.

In only his second game, Lomax was assured under the high ball, scored a try, and played a role in another.

“He had a lot of great touches,” Force coach Simon Cron said of Lomax. “He was brilliant in the air, scored a great try, he’s finding his feet, he’s so keen to learn. He adds a dominant voice in the backline. He’ll only get better.”

The Crusaders have now lost every game against Australian rivals this year, following defeats to the Brumbies, Reds, and Force, and the Waratahs have the chance to complete the Aussie clean sweep for the first time in Super Rugby history.

Speaking before the Force win, McKellar said the Reds’ victory over the Crusaders was a mistake-a-thon, but the Waratahs could take plenty from the Brumbies’ win in round two; their first in Christchurch in 26 years. NSW have only won once there in 16 visits, in 2004.

“We’ve got to make sure that we front that challenge and turn up with the right level of intent and aggression and not just do it for 20 minutes, we’ve got to stay in it,” McKellar said.

“What the Brumbies did well is they stayed in that game, and at 60 minutes, everyone was thinking the Brumbies were going to roll over. They finished over the top of the Crusaders, and that’s a good example for everyone.”

The Force appeared to heed the same lesson. The Crusaders raced out to a 19-0 lead, but rallied back to level up after halftime. They fell behind again until a Harry Johnson–Holmes try in the 71st minute saw them lead for the first time.

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