From unknown to unmissable: Suaalii returns to Twickenham as a global star

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is staying in the same hotel room as last year in London, but this is about the only thing that has remained constant since he helped the Wallabies beat England at Twickenham with a spectacular man-of-the-match performance in his first game of professional rugby.

Last November, Suaalii arrived in England as an unknown curiosity; now he is the main attraction. In the hotel bar, three young English boys whisper to each other, then the bravest goes up shyly to Suaalii. “Are you the Australian rugby player?” the boy asks. Suaalii responds politely that he is indeed a rugby player and happily takes a selfie with each boy before returning to the interview.

Is getting recognised across the world like this ever something he could have imagined as a young boy, dominating every sport he played back home in Penrith?

“It’s funny, even last week in Japan, we had a lot of Japanese fans in the lobby wanting pictures, they were there every day,” Suaalii said.

“When you’re in the motion of the day to day, you just think you’re just playing a game of rugby, but you don’t really realise how much effect you have ... you’ve always got to see it from the perspective that kid that I once was that wanted to play professional sport one day and be like one of your superheroes growing up.”

While Suaalii is on course to become one of the superheroes of rugby, he also understands that regardless of how high he flies across the world, he will always be grounded by his family. Before his first Test at Twickenham last year, when the Australian anthem started, Suaalii took comfort in knowing that his parents Chris and Salina were part of the 82,000 fans in the stadium.

“My parents haven’t missed a game of mine since I was four, and it continues now, even away games. I’ve played in South Africa, I’ve played in New Zealand, I’ve played in other different countries in Europe, England, Scotland and Wales, and they haven’t missed one game since I was a little kid.

“So when you’re in a crowd of 80-something thousand and you’ve got your parents in the crowd, it’s always quite comforting.

“When I sing the anthem, I always know where they’ll be, because the day before, I always check where they’re sitting, so I can see them. I think that’s what gives you comfort in the sense of big crowds and going against England and all these different big nations.”

Suaalii has frequently referenced his love of travelling to different cultures and nations through playing for the Wallabies, but more importantly, he loves sharing these experiences with his parents after they gave him so much as a child.

“My parents had my family quite young. I’m one of eight, so they’ve always been looking after kids and for them to come and travel the world and experience different things.

“I think that’s the biggest kick I get out of it as well, just seeing them in the crowd and seeing them travel different places and send selfies to me of where they’re at, I think that’s the great thing about rugby brings as well.”

Rugby has also brought Suaalii treasured new friendships, with one of the closest being Max Jorgensen. Alongside dovetailing perfectly on the field together, Jorgensen has also helped to become Suaalii’s expert tour guide abroad. On Wednesday, the two Wallabies visited Notting Hill.

“We try to find something to do and explore the city, we are still quite young in that sense of we want to explore and see what’s out and see what’s around,” Suaalii said.

“I’ve never watched the movie Notting Hill and Jorgo was trying to tell me I should watch it and he was showing me different things from it and that was cool to experience the different streets and even just the food, and it was exactly the same in Japan last week.”

Given Jorgensen is off contract next year, Suaalii is keen for his friend to stay with him at the Wallabies for the home World Cup and beyond, but equally understands that he has many suitors.

“Jorgo’s going through his different contract situations, obviously, everyone wants him to stay, but at the same time, I’m just being a mate, and whatever’s best for him, is best for him, all we want to see him be the best player he can be,” Suaalii said.

“It’s a big carrot the World Cup and what that can bring for all us players and what a special moment that can be ... I’m not sure what he’s going to do, but, you know, I’ve always wanted to play with someone like Jorgo.”

Although Jorgensen will be tasked with helping Suaalii to explore the Wallabies’ next stops in Udine and Dublin, Paris is likely to be reserved for a special Roosters reunion.

Suaalii has already been in touch with his former NRL teammate Joey Manu who will travel by Eurostar to London to watch the Wallabies play England, before getting his Paris apartment ready for a temporary visitor who is willing to work for his accommodation.

“I’ve already texted him saying I’m going to crash his house for the whole week. He’s got another child on the way, so I’m not sure how that’s going to go,” Suaalii joked. “I’ll probably be babysitting at his house, but I’ll be definitely going to go see him.

“It’s great to see someone who I was involved with at the Roosters and someone I idolised as a kid to go to Japan and then to Paris, and then killing it on the world stage. It’s pretty cool to watch, as a fan as well. Hopefully one day, you know, we’ll come back together or cross paths again.”

This week, Suaalii’s focus remains on beating England. He believes he’s a far more rounded footballer than the debutant who destroyed England aerially last year. After a year of studying the game of rugby on and off the field, Suaalii has far more weapons in his arsenal for Saturday.

Ahead of the Test, Suaalii likes to think about the Wallabies jersey he will put on. He thinks specifically about the number 13. It is the same number of Wallabies great Jason Little, the father of his partner Audrey. It reminds Suaalii that wherever he travels across the world, there is always a strong connection to what matters to him back home in Australia.

“It means even more to me to know my missus’ Dad, he played in the [Wallabies] number 13 jersey as well,” Suaalii said.

“I believe that in a jersey there’s a DNA from everyone before you that bled in that jersey and who put everything into that jersey. So the support we’re getting from all Australians, all the old boys, a lot of players have put, you know, blood, sweat, and tears into the jersey.

“So every time you put the jersey on, you’ve got something to represent. You don’t own it. It’s always the next young kid coming through that wants to play for the Wallabies one day.”

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