Joseph Suaali ‘thrilled and honored’ by Wallabies ‘golden period’: Planet Rugby

Although Joseph Suaali admits he “misses the Roosters a lot”, he is now fully focused on his rugby union career and says he has always followed his dreams in life.

Suaali was a schoolboys rugby superstar who represented the Australian Schoolboys team before moving up to rugby league, where he excelled in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters.

However, the 21-year-old is back in the 15-a-side game after signing a contract worth around A$5.35 million that will take him to the 2027 Rugby World Cup and could rise – if reports are correct – to 9 million Australian dollars if he stays for two more seasons.

Suaalii, who will play at Super Rugby Pacific level for the Waratahs, is set to tour the UK next month, although he is unsure which Australian squad he will be part of.

The senior Wallabies team will face England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in Tests, while the Australia XV will take on the Bristol Bears and England A team in their matches.

“It’s always been so attractive to me.”

“Playing on the Grand Slam tour, the Lions tour and the home World Cup in 2027, I feel like that’s always been so appealing to me,” he said in an interview. Wide World of Sports Nine.

“I just see myself playing in this and having a big impact on Australian rugby and the Waratahs and yeah, it’s very exciting.

“The next couple of years for rugby in Australia I feel will obviously be a golden period with the home World Cup, the Lions tour and the Grand Slam. I feel like that speaks for itself.”

Just two weeks after playing his final game for the Roosters in their NRL preliminary final defeat to Melbourne Storm, Suaali was part of the Wallabies’ training camp in Canberra last week and spent the time reuniting with some of his former teammates from his previous match. stint in rugby union.

“It was complete, I really enjoyed it,” he said.

A former Rugby Australia boss is calling on the governing body to sign another rugby league superstar to improve the game ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup

“A lot of classmates I played GPS (Great Public Schools) with, like Angus Bell, Billy Pollard. So they just showed me around.

“Yesterday I visited the Waratah site for the first time. Angus Bell was honestly just showing me around.

“So everything went well. It’s like going to a new school. I enjoyed it.”

Suaali said he always knew he wanted to return to rugby union at some stage in his career, but said he didn’t pay much attention to the rules during his time with the Roosters.

He also revealed his conversations with Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt were more about family than rugby, but said he would be willing to prove himself for the two-time world champions if his services were needed.

“I always tried my best”

“If I get the opportunity, I feel like I’ve always tried my best, going through tryouts and stuff like that,” Suaali said.

“So yes, if I get the call, I will be very excited and honored to be part of the Wallabies team, which has always been my dream since school.”

The former Australian U18 rugby union star has described his return as “surreal”.

“But it was nice to look back and just see how I came through school, played in the league and now have the opportunity to play for the Waratahs and Wallabies union.”

READ MORE: Joseph Suaalii: What ‘box office’ star NRL will bring to rugby union after code change