‘Take a breath’: Waratahs coach’s update on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

Dan McKellar has urged everyone to “take a breath and relax” after the NSW Waratahs revealed Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii requires surgery on a fractured jaw. Suaalii suffered the injury last week against the Reds, about two months before the first Test against the British & Irish Lions.

After an unfortunate clash with teammate Andrew Kellaway, Suaalii was helped from the field on a stretcher at Allianz Stadium. Suaalii left the field on a stretcher, but managed to give playmaker Tane Edmed a thumbs up before disappearing from public view.

Tahs coach McKellar told reporters after the seven-point loss that Suaalii was back at home recovering with family members, and Rugby Australia’s multi-million dollar man reportedly settling well from concussion symptoms.

But the Waratahs provided a medical update on Wednesday, revealing Suaalii has developed soreness, with investigation showing a small undisplaced fracture of the jaw. Suaalii will be reassessed four weeks after the operation to determine a return to play timeframe.

McKellar explained the situation during a media opportunity in Daceyville on Thursday, with the coach outlining that while it’s “disappointing” for the Waratahs as they look to save their season, this news shouldn’t trouble the Wallabies too much.

“It’s a four-week injury, it looks like,” McKellar told reporters on Thursday.

“[It’s] disappointing from a Waratahs perspective, but all going well, and most of the time it does, he’s not going to be missing any Test matches or anything like that.”

“It’s disappointing for Joseph to miss a few games for us in the back end of the [season], but in terms of what’s ahead, everyone can take a breath and relax a little bit.

Suaalii was trying to tackle Reds utility Filipo Daugunu when the incident occurred late in the first half of last week’s match in Sydney. Kellaway was also trying to tackle Daugunu, which led to an accidental clash between the two front-line Wallabies.

Kellaway shifted to fullback for the rest of the match, with one-Test Wallaby Darby Lancaster coming on as a replacement. Those two have been named in those respective roles for this week’s must-win round 14 match against the Crusaders, with Triston Reilly on the other wing.

With the Waratahs sitting in eighth place, they need to win this match to keep their chances of making the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs alive. While that ambition has taken a hit after the update on Suaalii, the code-hopper is on the mend, which is a positive.

“He’s been able to chew and eat, with a little bit of discomfort, but it wasn’t your typical fractured jaw where there is blood and clear separation,” McKellar said.

“It’s minor, with no re-wiring or anything that needs to occur that indicates it’s not a major fracture, but there is a fracture there and we need to look after him.

“He’s in the gym right now. He’s doing what needs to be done.

“If he walked in here, he’s talking and doing everything normally.

“We play a sport where it is collision-based and incredibly physical, and he’s got a wack … a little bit of ‘friendly fire.’”