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The latest on Joseph Suaalii's game ending injury in Murrayfield
By Ian Cameron
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii could yet face Ireland in Dublin on next weekend despite being forced off the pitch after just 30 minutes of action in his side’s 27-13 defeat to Scotland in the Autumn Nations Series.
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The Wallabies centre sustained the injury while delivering a powerful tackle on Scotland’s Sione Tuipulotu. While the hit floored the Scottish captain, Suaalii came off second best and required immediate medical attention before being removed from the game.
RugbyPass understands that the injury, initially concerning given the manner of his exit, is just as a ‘stinger’ and is not serious, suggesting Suaalii’s withdrawal was more precautionary than anything else.
Suaalii was later seen at Edinburgh Airport as the Wallabies prepared to fly to Dublin for their final fixture against Ireland. His arm was not immobilized or in plaster, and the player did not display visible discomfort as he interacted with teammates while waiting to board the short flight across the Irish Sea.
“He’s got pretty numb arm, but we’re hopeful it’s not too bad,” said head coach Joe Schmidt. “But losing Joseph early didn’t help.”
Suaalii’s condition will be monitored by the Wallabies’ medical staff in the coming days, but early indications suggest he may be available for selection in the upcoming match.
The encounter against Ireland will be Australia’s last test of the year as they conclude their Northern Hemisphere tour.
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The Wallabies began their tour with two big wins against England and Wales before falling to Scotland at Murrayfield. High-profile cross-code recruit Suaalii, has shown flashes of his potential during the series but will be eager to return to action and contribute in the tour finale against the Irish heavyweights.
It had been a challenging week for Australia. In the 24 hours before the game, they lost both key hooker Matt Faessler through injury and poorly lock Jeremy Williams.
“We were already a little bit glued together,” conceded Schmidt. “But it’s a really good exercise for us to be put in that situation against a good team and I felt they stayed really competitive – albeit you can’t miss 30-plus tackles in an international against a really good team and expect to get the result.”
More updates on the 21-year-old’s fitness and the Wallabies’ preparations for the Ireland game are expected as the squad resumes training in Dublin.
additional reporting AAP