Sua’ali’i to make Wallabies debut against England less than a month after switching rugby codes

LONDON (AP) — Less than a month after switching rugby codes, Joseph Sua’ali’i will make his debut for Australia after being picked to start the test match against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Sua’ali’i has been thrown in at outside center in a huge tour-opening game against an England coming off a frustrating 24-22 loss to New Zealand last weekend.

He last played in the 15-man code as a winger in 2019 for Australian Schoolboys in a victory over New Zealand. Since then, he has established himself as a star in rugby league, playing for Samoa when it reached the World Cup final in 2022 and in the State of Origin.

Rugby Australia has thrown big money at Sua’ali’i, tying him to a three-year contract worth A$5.3 million ($3.5 million) to the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Before that, the British and Irish Lions tour Australia and coach Joe Schmidt said he wanted to get the next big thing in Australian rugby into the firing line as quickly as possible.

“Everything is a risk,” Schmidt said of the immediate inclusion of Sua’ali’i, “but I would challenge that by saying everything is an opportunity.

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“It’s unlikely it will go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark he can build from.”

Sua’ali’i, who gets his chance with other centers Hunter Paisami and Josh Flook unavailable, was the only change to the team from the last test, a loss to the All Blacks in Wellington in the Rugby Championship. The Wallabies were defeated five times in six outings in that competition and finished last.

Fourteen of the players in the matchday 23 will play at Twickenham for the first time.

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Australia: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell. Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby