mens
international
Wallabies superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii wants Mark Nawaqanitawase on the spring tour and welcomes the selection threat his fellow hopper will pose upon his return to rugby.
Nawaqanitawase has been the most talked about talent in both games after capping his spectacular two-season stint in the NRL with a landmark two-try haul in the Sydney Roosters’ 19-18 grand final triumph over Newcastle.
Unless he chooses to commit to shock, switch to any lower lights Italy or Fiji, for whom he is also eligible to play through his grandmother and father, the dual international presents himself as a real rival to Suaali for a spot on the Wallabies wing at next year’s World Cup in Australia.
First-year Wallabies coach Les Kiss switched Suaali from the centers for last week’s Bledisloe Cup I defeat in All black people in Auckland.
Like Nawaqanitawase, Kiss will try to find a place in the Wallabies backline next year for fellow Premiership winner Roosters and one-time Australian schoolboys center Angus Crichton, a former teammate of Suaali’s.
Rather than fear for his place, Suaalii says he is up for the challenge and believes having Nawaqanitawase and Crichton on deck can “100 per cent” only boost Australia’s World Cup chances.
“The more internal competition we have, the better our team will be,” he said after Wallabies training in Sydney on Tuesday.
“If Marky and Gussie meet and Gussie comes to the Waratahs, he will be a great addition for us.
“Then Marky’s skill set, you’ve seen what he’s done in the NRL. He’s been great. Not many people have done what he’s done in the game for two years.”
“Watching him from afar, he’s done things that not a lot of people can do. For him to come and bring that here, it’s going to be great for us.”
Suaalii is so keen to have Nawaqanitawase in the Wallabies ranks that he hopes Kiss will convince the 26-year-old to change his mind and go on a four-Test tour of Great Britain in November.
Nawaqanitawase officially ends his contract with the Roosters on October 31 to join Saitama Wild Knights and said last month that he was committed to relaxing with family and friends before linking up with his Japanese club.
“Having that respect just to start a new club and find my feet there,” he said.
“It will be my first time living away from home, so I’m just cooking for myself, figuring out how things work around the house.”
Kiss said last week he planned to speak to Nawaqanitawase and Suaalii welcomed the prospect of the freak talent being available for the Wallabies as soon as possible.
“You want your best players here,” Suaalii said.
“We brought in Jordan (Petai) from Japan. He’s been a great addition for us as a group. You want your best players training, playing. Yes, we have a year until the World Cup, so every game is very important. We know what he’s doing every week.
“But Les is a calling man.”
Kiss’ more immediate call will be whether to make any changes to his side’s 50-19 rout in Auckland, leaving the Wallabies to hand over the Bledisloe Cup for the 23rd consecutive year ahead of Saturday’s return in Sydney on Saturday night.
