Latest news with #JosephSuaalii
Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Times
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to have jaw surgery before Lions tour
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set to be ruled out until June after suffering a fractured jaw that will require surgery, but Australia's star player is expected to be fit for the first Test against the British & Irish Lions. Noah Lolesio, the Wallabies fly half who was carried from the field on a stretcher, escaped a major back injury and is anticipated to be back on the field when the ACT Brumbies play Crusaders on May 30. Suaalii, 21, was concussed last weekend after colliding with the knee of his Waratahs team-mate Andrew Kellaway, and will miss the rest of the Super Rugby season, unless the Waratahs, who are eighth in the table, clinch an unlikely place in the play-offs. Joe Schmidt will breathe a sigh
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Australia wonderkid Joseph Sua'ali'i faces race to be fit for British & Irish Lions series after suffering broken jaw
Australia wonderkid Joseph Sua'ali'i faces a race against time to be fit to take on the British & Irish Lions this summer after he suffered a broken jaw. The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the Wallabies ' brightest prospects after his high-profile switch to union from rugby league. He was outstanding in what was remarkably his first professional game of 15-a-side rugby when Australia beat England at Twickenham last autumn. But Sua'ali'i's latest injury, which will require surgery and will keep him out for at least a month, means he is now a big doubt to face Andy Farrell's Lions Down Under. The news is a significant headache for Australia head coach Joe Schmidt as Sua'ali'i would be certain to be involved in the Test series if fit. Sua'ali'i was initially diagnosed with concussion after being placed in a neck brace and carried off in the match between his Waratahs side and Queensland Reds last Friday. But subsequent scans revealed a fractured jaw which will bring an end to his involvement in Australia's domestic season. There is a little over two months until the Test series between the Lions and Australia begins with the opener slated for Brisbane on July 19. 'This is unfortunate for us and especially for Joseph. We wish him all the best in his recovery and return to full health,' former Leicester boss and now Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said. '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.' Sua'ali'i has had his fair share of injury problems since moving to union. And he is not the only fitness concern for Australia ahead of the hotly-anticipated Lions series. Sua'ali'i, here in action for the Waratahs, wowed on his first professional game against England Wallabies No 10 Noah Lolesio has suffered a worrying back injury which although described as 'not serious' will force him to spend at least two weeks on the sidelines. 'It was fairly nasty,' Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham said of Lolesio's blow. 'He's been cleared of anything serious in terms of fractures and we're treating it as a day-by-day prospect at this stage. He's looking pretty good at the moment. 'He should be running by the end of the week, which is really good news, and hopefully that means he's back on track for our next game against the Crusaders. 'We're very thankful nothing serious has happened. 'But I think he would certainly have some mental elements he'd have to get over before he can get back out on the field.' While Australia have undoubtedly improved with Schmidt in charge after their terrible 2023 World Cup campaign under former England coach Eddie Jones, they do not have huge strength in depth. That is why Sua'ali'i's impending operation will be such a concern to Schmidt. The Australia coach had emphasised the need for his best players to be playing regular rugby ahead of the Lions series to stay in tip-top physical condition. 'I'm keen to see him keep playing. I think that he's missed a few games already this season,' Schmidt said of Sua'ali'i earlier this week and prior to news of his fractured jaw.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wallaby Suaalii in race to face Lions with broken jaw
Australia's code-crossing star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is to have surgery to fix a fractured jaw, putting the 21-year-old under pressure to be fit for the British and Irish Lions was concussed in a collision with Waratah's team-mate Andrew Kellaway during their defeat by Queensland Reds on was then found that he had a "small, undisplaced fracture" which needed an is likely to be sidelined for at least four weeks."This is unfortunate for us and especially for Joseph. We wish him all the best in his recovery and return to full health," Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said."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."The Waratahs' Super Rugby campaign is set to end during Suaalii's absence with only three rounds of the regular season remaining and play-off qualification only a distant utility back, who made his debut in professional rugby union in Australia's win over England in November, could potentially make a return to action in the Wallabies' warm-up Test against Fiji on 6 July, or the Waratahs' own match against the Lions the day three-Test series between the Lions and Australia begins in Brisbane on 19 July. Suaalii was signed from rugby league's Sydney Roosters last year in a three-year deal worth a reported 5.35m Australian dollars (£2.6m).While he has continued to impress in his appearances in union, his progress has been checked by injuries, with a toe complaint causing him to miss four Super Rugby matchesAustralia coach Joe Schmidt also has injury concerns over first-choice fly-half Noah Lolesio, who suffered a back injury last weekend and is a doubt for the tourists' visit.
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Australia blow with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to undergo surgery before Lions clash
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is in a race against time to be fit to face the British & Irish Lions , with the young Australian star set to miss the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season with a fractured jaw. Suaalii will undergo surgery on a 'small undisplaced fracture' he sustained in an accidental collision with a NSW Waratahs team-mate against the Queensland Reds on Friday night. The collision with Andrew Kellaway's knee left Suaalii with a concussion, forcing him to be carted off the pitch. But having complained of soreness as he recovered from the head knock, further investigations revealed a small fracture that will require an operation to reinforce the affected area. Suaalii now faces a minimum of four weeks on the sidelines before a review of the injury will inform a return-to-play plan. There are three weeks of the Super Rugby regular season remaining; the Waratahs must win all three games if they are to make the finals. READ MORE The blow leaves Suaalii facing the prospect of not playing any more competitive rugby before the Wallabies coach, Joe Schmidt, who has spoken of the importance of assessing players' form in Super Rugby, names his squad for the Lions tour. 'This is unfortunate for us and especially for Joseph,' said the Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar. 'We wish him all the best in his recovery and return to full health. 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.' Australia kick-off their season with a Test against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6th before beginning a highly anticipated three-Test series against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19th. Suaalii's season had already been interrupted by injury; the multimillion-dollar acquisition from rugby league missed the opening rounds of Super Rugby with a foot complaint. Having played for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, the 21-year-old switched to union and burst on to the international scene with a scintillating debut against England at Twickenham in November, before he had even played a game for the Waratahs. In the wake of his concussion last week, Schmidt indicated on Monday he would prefer not to delay Suaalii's return to play. '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.'
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Australia handed double injury blow before British and Irish Lions series
Joseph Sua'ali'i, the Australia back, may miss out on the opportunity to face the British and Irish Lions after his Super Rugby season was ended with a broken jaw. The high-profile signing from rugby league will require an operation on the injury to reinforce a 'small, undisplaced fracture' and has been ruled out of action for at least a month, having also suffered a concussion. The 21-year-old was placed in a neck brace and carried off on a stretcher during Waratahs's match against Queensland Reds on May 9. 'This is unfortunate for us and especially for Joseph. We wish him all the best in his recovery and return to full health,' Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said in a statement. '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.' The injury news was also a blow to Joe Schmidt, the Australia coach, in the countdown to the Lions series in July and August given his desire to see the utility back get minutes under his belt. 'I'm keen to see him keep playing, I think that he's missed a few games already this season, he hasn't had that many games anyway,' Schmidt told reporters on Monday. 'For Joseph, I think it's important that he just keeps playing when he's fit and available to play. I think he probably will miss this game against the Crusaders [this Friday] but all going well, he'll hopefully be back for the next one.' With the Waratahs having only three more regular season games and looking unlikely to make the play-offs, Joseph Sua'ali'i has only a miniscule chance of suiting up again in Super Rugby this season. Sua'ali'i was impressive when he did play for the Waratahs this year but also missed four matches early in the season because of a toe injury. Brumbies provide update on Lolesio injury Sua'ali'i's injury is not the only concern for Schmidt. Brumbies fly-half Noah Lolesio was carried off on a stretcher after suffering a back injury during a match against Western Force on May 10. The injury was confirmed as being 'not serious', but the No 10 will sit out the next fortnight to recover. 'It was fairly nasty,' said Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham. 'He's had some CT scans, and we've had really good discussions around it all. 'He's been cleared of anything serious in terms of fractures, and we're treating it as a day-by-day prospect at this stage, but he's looking pretty good at the moment. 'He should be running by the end of the week, which is really good news, and hopefully that means he's back on track for our next game against the Crusaders.' The Brumbies will still take a precautious approach towards Lolesio's return, and are likely to build him back up to speed rather than rush him straight into the starting XV. 'We're very thankful that nothing serious has happened there,' Larkham added. 'But I think he would certainly have some mental elements that he'd have to get over before he can get back out on the field.'
