Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in need of surgery and in doubt for Wallabies' blockbuster series with Lions
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii requires surgery on a fractured jaw that's placed him in doubt for the Wallabies' blockbuster British and Irish Lions duel.
The code-hopping NSW Waratahs star copped an accidental knee from a teammate in Saturday's loss to the Queensland Reds and was carted from Allianz Stadium in a medicab.
The 21-year-old was concussed but there was optimism he would miss just one week as the Waratahs pushed for a Super Rugby Pacific finals spot.
But on Wednesday the Waratahs revealed their star NRL convert required surgery to reinforce a fractured jaw.
A review in four weeks will then determine a return-to-play time frame, leaving the supreme talent in massive doubt ahead of the much-hyped three-Test series that begins in Brisbane on July 19.
The Wallabies begin their Test season against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6.
'We will do all we can to facilitate his recovery in consultation with Rugby Australia to have him in the best shape possible for his availability for the Wallabies,' Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said.
Suaalii made a statement in his Test debut last year before he'd even played a game for the Waratahs and has since flourished playing both at fullback and in the centres.
Speaking on Monday, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said that he'd prefer not to wrap Suaalii in cotton wool.
'I'm keen to see him keep playing,' he said.
'He's missed a few games already this season.
'He hasn't had that many games anyway so, for Joseph, it's important that he just keep playing when he's fit and available to play.'
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The Advertiser
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Lagergren blows hot to lead weather-hit KLM Open
British trio Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Andy Sullivan have remained in contention as Sweden's Joakim Lagergren led the KLM Open at the end of a disrupted second day. Winds of over 35mph in Amsterdam led to a two-hour stoppage due to "oscillating balls", extending play deep into the evening for a second successive day after Thursday's storms. Lagergren was already safely round in 68 for an eight-under-par halfway total, which proved too much for the chasing pack to match in tough scoring conditions. Syme followed up his opening 65 with a one-over-par 72 to reach five under, good enough for third place behind first-round leader Ricardo Gouveia. Fellow Scot Ramsay was also one over for his round with one hole to play when darkness descended, sharing fourth place with France's Pierre Pineau on four under. England's Sullivan shot 70 to reach three under alongside Francesco Laporta, who also had one hole to complete, and Oliver Lindell. Another Englishman, Dan Brown, had finished day one in a share of third place after matching Ramsay's 66 but fell off the pace on Friday with three double bogeys, including at the second and third holes. His eventual 79 left him only just inside the cut line at three over. It was not a good day for Australians, Jason Scrivener following his opening-round 68 with a 75 that left him nine off the lead. David Micheluzzi is 10 over after repeating a 76 and Daniel Gale is 16 over following his 75 while Danny List withdrew. British trio Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Andy Sullivan have remained in contention as Sweden's Joakim Lagergren led the KLM Open at the end of a disrupted second day. Winds of over 35mph in Amsterdam led to a two-hour stoppage due to "oscillating balls", extending play deep into the evening for a second successive day after Thursday's storms. Lagergren was already safely round in 68 for an eight-under-par halfway total, which proved too much for the chasing pack to match in tough scoring conditions. Syme followed up his opening 65 with a one-over-par 72 to reach five under, good enough for third place behind first-round leader Ricardo Gouveia. Fellow Scot Ramsay was also one over for his round with one hole to play when darkness descended, sharing fourth place with France's Pierre Pineau on four under. England's Sullivan shot 70 to reach three under alongside Francesco Laporta, who also had one hole to complete, and Oliver Lindell. Another Englishman, Dan Brown, had finished day one in a share of third place after matching Ramsay's 66 but fell off the pace on Friday with three double bogeys, including at the second and third holes. His eventual 79 left him only just inside the cut line at three over. It was not a good day for Australians, Jason Scrivener following his opening-round 68 with a 75 that left him nine off the lead. David Micheluzzi is 10 over after repeating a 76 and Daniel Gale is 16 over following his 75 while Danny List withdrew. British trio Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Andy Sullivan have remained in contention as Sweden's Joakim Lagergren led the KLM Open at the end of a disrupted second day. Winds of over 35mph in Amsterdam led to a two-hour stoppage due to "oscillating balls", extending play deep into the evening for a second successive day after Thursday's storms. Lagergren was already safely round in 68 for an eight-under-par halfway total, which proved too much for the chasing pack to match in tough scoring conditions. Syme followed up his opening 65 with a one-over-par 72 to reach five under, good enough for third place behind first-round leader Ricardo Gouveia. Fellow Scot Ramsay was also one over for his round with one hole to play when darkness descended, sharing fourth place with France's Pierre Pineau on four under. England's Sullivan shot 70 to reach three under alongside Francesco Laporta, who also had one hole to complete, and Oliver Lindell. Another Englishman, Dan Brown, had finished day one in a share of third place after matching Ramsay's 66 but fell off the pace on Friday with three double bogeys, including at the second and third holes. His eventual 79 left him only just inside the cut line at three over. It was not a good day for Australians, Jason Scrivener following his opening-round 68 with a 75 that left him nine off the lead. David Micheluzzi is 10 over after repeating a 76 and Daniel Gale is 16 over following his 75 while Danny List withdrew. British trio Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Andy Sullivan have remained in contention as Sweden's Joakim Lagergren led the KLM Open at the end of a disrupted second day. Winds of over 35mph in Amsterdam led to a two-hour stoppage due to "oscillating balls", extending play deep into the evening for a second successive day after Thursday's storms. Lagergren was already safely round in 68 for an eight-under-par halfway total, which proved too much for the chasing pack to match in tough scoring conditions. Syme followed up his opening 65 with a one-over-par 72 to reach five under, good enough for third place behind first-round leader Ricardo Gouveia. Fellow Scot Ramsay was also one over for his round with one hole to play when darkness descended, sharing fourth place with France's Pierre Pineau on four under. England's Sullivan shot 70 to reach three under alongside Francesco Laporta, who also had one hole to complete, and Oliver Lindell. Another Englishman, Dan Brown, had finished day one in a share of third place after matching Ramsay's 66 but fell off the pace on Friday with three double bogeys, including at the second and third holes. His eventual 79 left him only just inside the cut line at three over. It was not a good day for Australians, Jason Scrivener following his opening-round 68 with a 75 that left him nine off the lead. David Micheluzzi is 10 over after repeating a 76 and Daniel Gale is 16 over following his 75 while Danny List withdrew.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Coach gives Reds the Kiss of life after sorry Super bow
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Adding to the odds stacked against Kiss's side, the Reds had lost 13 of their previous 14 games against the 12-times Super Rugby kings, while the Crusaders were also riding a 16-match winning streak in finals stretching back to 2016. The Crusaders, typically, made the ill-disciplined visitors pay with the only two first-half tries. The hosts then resisted an early second-half challenge to put the Reds to the sword, jumping out to a 27-0 advantage with two more strikes before a couple of late consolation tries improved the losing scoreline. "Obviously really disappointed with the result," Reds captain Tate McDermott said. "Really proud of this group and the season we had but, yeah, you've got to give credit to the Crusaders. "They were 're all over us at the breakdown and collision area and we just couldn't get into our cycle." 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Surpassing tennis's 30-love scoreline, the Crusaders improved their perfect record in home finals to 30-0 to at their fortress on Friday night to leave the Reds wondering where to next. "The Crusaders, they're hard to beat here. I think we've beaten them once in 26 years now, so it's tough," Kiss lamented. Needing to become the first Australian side in three decades to win a play-off match in New Zealand to make the semi-finals, the writing was on the wall for the Reds well before they kicked off at Apollo Projects Stadium. Adding to the odds stacked against Kiss's side, the Reds had lost 13 of their previous 14 games against the 12-times Super Rugby kings, while the Crusaders were also riding a 16-match winning streak in finals stretching back to 2016. The Crusaders, typically, made the ill-disciplined visitors pay with the only two first-half tries. The hosts then resisted an early second-half challenge to put the Reds to the sword, jumping out to a 27-0 advantage with two more strikes before a couple of late consolation tries improved the losing scoreline. "Obviously really disappointed with the result," Reds captain Tate McDermott said. "Really proud of this group and the season we had but, yeah, you've got to give credit to the Crusaders. "They were 're all over us at the breakdown and collision area and we just couldn't get into our cycle." It was an all-too-familiar flame-out for the Reds, who have now departed in the quarter-finals every year since 2022, falling twice to both the Crusaders and the Chiefs and always in New Zealand. Kiss has one more season to right the wrongs before taking over from Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next July. The 60-year-old is adamant the Reds are capable of taking the next step in 2025. "We used 38 players this year. That's one thing I'm very proud of," he said. "We didn't have a good injury run, but that happens, but the boys who stood up and came in - Dre Pakejo for one, Joe Brial has had a massively good year. "You know, young men that keep stepping up for us. That's really pleasing. I'm very proud of the program that it delivers that. "However, this is a point that we've stopped at each year and we've got to be able to find a way to get through to that next level for sure. "We've got enough good people in the organisation, from the players right through to our professional rugby staff, so we can do it. We know that. "I really feel for them all because they put a great shift in this year, all of them, and to finish up like this is despondent." The Reds' exit from the finals leaves the ACT Brumbies as Australia's last team standing. After finishing third in the minor premiership, the Brumbies host the fourth-placed Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night and will progress to the semi-finals even if they lose, provided the sixth-placed Blues don't upset the minor premiership-winning Chiefs in Hamilton. Les Kiss is searching for answers after his Queensland Reds were bundled out at the quarter-final stage for a fourth straight Super Rugby Pacific season. The colossal Crusaders enhanced one of world sport's most remarkable records to ruthlessly end the Reds' season with a 32-12 victory in Christchurch. Surpassing tennis's 30-love scoreline, the Crusaders improved their perfect record in home finals to 30-0 to at their fortress on Friday night to leave the Reds wondering where to next. "The Crusaders, they're hard to beat here. I think we've beaten them once in 26 years now, so it's tough," Kiss lamented. Needing to become the first Australian side in three decades to win a play-off match in New Zealand to make the semi-finals, the writing was on the wall for the Reds well before they kicked off at Apollo Projects Stadium. Adding to the odds stacked against Kiss's side, the Reds had lost 13 of their previous 14 games against the 12-times Super Rugby kings, while the Crusaders were also riding a 16-match winning streak in finals stretching back to 2016. The Crusaders, typically, made the ill-disciplined visitors pay with the only two first-half tries. The hosts then resisted an early second-half challenge to put the Reds to the sword, jumping out to a 27-0 advantage with two more strikes before a couple of late consolation tries improved the losing scoreline. "Obviously really disappointed with the result," Reds captain Tate McDermott said. "Really proud of this group and the season we had but, yeah, you've got to give credit to the Crusaders. "They were 're all over us at the breakdown and collision area and we just couldn't get into our cycle." It was an all-too-familiar flame-out for the Reds, who have now departed in the quarter-finals every year since 2022, falling twice to both the Crusaders and the Chiefs and always in New Zealand. Kiss has one more season to right the wrongs before taking over from Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next July. The 60-year-old is adamant the Reds are capable of taking the next step in 2025. "We used 38 players this year. That's one thing I'm very proud of," he said. "We didn't have a good injury run, but that happens, but the boys who stood up and came in - Dre Pakejo for one, Joe Brial has had a massively good year. "You know, young men that keep stepping up for us. That's really pleasing. I'm very proud of the program that it delivers that. "However, this is a point that we've stopped at each year and we've got to be able to find a way to get through to that next level for sure. "We've got enough good people in the organisation, from the players right through to our professional rugby staff, so we can do it. We know that. "I really feel for them all because they put a great shift in this year, all of them, and to finish up like this is despondent." The Reds' exit from the finals leaves the ACT Brumbies as Australia's last team standing. After finishing third in the minor premiership, the Brumbies host the fourth-placed Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night and will progress to the semi-finals even if they lose, provided the sixth-placed Blues don't upset the minor premiership-winning Chiefs in Hamilton.
West Australian
11 hours ago
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Lagergren blows hot to lead weather-hit KLM Open
British trio Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Andy Sullivan have remained in contention as Sweden's Joakim Lagergren led the KLM Open at the end of a disrupted second day. Winds of over 35mph in Amsterdam led to a two-hour stoppage due to "oscillating balls", extending play deep into the evening for a second successive day after Thursday's storms. Lagergren was already safely round in 68 for an eight-under-par halfway total, which proved too much for the chasing pack to match in tough scoring conditions. Syme followed up his opening 65 with a one-over-par 72 to reach five under, good enough for third place behind first-round leader Ricardo Gouveia. Fellow Scot Ramsay was also one over for his round with one hole to play when darkness descended, sharing fourth place with France's Pierre Pineau on four under. England's Sullivan shot 70 to reach three under alongside Francesco Laporta, who also had one hole to complete, and Oliver Lindell. Another Englishman, Dan Brown, had finished day one in a share of third place after matching Ramsay's 66 but fell off the pace on Friday with three double bogeys, including at the second and third holes. His eventual 79 left him only just inside the cut line at three over. It was not a good day for Australians, Jason Scrivener following his opening-round 68 with a 75 that left him nine off the lead. David Micheluzzi is 10 over after repeating a 76 and Daniel Gale is 16 over following his 75 while Danny List withdrew.
