Rugby-Wallabies predict rugby union stardom for Suaalii

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia prop Angus Bell believes Joseph Suaalii will become one of the best rugby union players in the world and dismissed talk that handing the rugby league convert a test debut on the end-of-season tour would cheapen the Wallabies jersey.

Bell was Suaalii’s roommate in the pre-tour training camp and said he had been impressed with the 21-year-old’s professionalism as well as his humility in the short time they had been together.

The burly loosehead scoffed at the suggestion Suaalii should not have been rushed straight into the squad without paying his dues in Super Rugby first.

“I know how good he is now, and why he is as good as he is,” Bell told reporters at the launch of the Wallabies shirt for next year’s British and Irish Lions series on Tuesday.

“The proof’s in the pudding. As soon as he steps on the field, you’ll see how cheap the jersey is.

“He’s an insane athlete. You look at the way he moves, the way he touches footies, the way he can kick.

“He’s got every attribute to be a world-class rugby player, not just in Australia, but probably one of the better ones in the world. And he’s only 21 … and I’m just looking forward to him proving people wrong.

“Joey, he’s going to be a star, we all know that.”

With the Lions series only eight months away, Australia coach Joe Schmidt has suggested that Suaalii is likely to make his debut in one of the November tour fixtures against England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

As an outside back, Max Jorgensen could eventually end up competing with the newcomer for a place in the Wallabies team but he agreed with Bell about the impact Suaalii could have in rugby union.

“He’s a pure athlete,” the 20-year-old said. “Look at the size of him. He can jump so high, he’s just so athletic.

“And he’s got a footy brain, so obviously it will take him a little bit to pick some stuff up, but he’s a footy player, and he’s going to be awesome. It’s awesome for the game.”

Jorgensen has known Suaalii for a long time in Sydney schoolboy rugby circles and from time they spent together at rugby league team the Sydney Roosters.

“He was just always probably the best player on the field,” he recalled.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)