Weight of Australian rugby would be a massive burden and cost for teenage sensation Joseph Suaalii to bear
At a time when rugby is struggling to control its identity and to determine its standing in the wide selection of sports Down Under, Rugby Australia (RA) may have dug themselves into a deeper hole with their most recent attempt at staying relevant.
Despite their financial struggles, RA have thrown the kitchen sink at a player who hasn’t yet played first grade in the sport, let alone graduated high school.
Joseph Suaalii has been touted as a generational talent, starring for the Kings College First XV in Sydney’s GPS since making his debut for the prestigious high school team at 14.
The 16-year-old caught the eyes of fans and pundits alike from both rugby union and league, but it was the 13-man code that appeared to have won the race for his signature last month.
Suaalii reportedly agreed to a $1.7 million deal across three years with rugby league powerhouse, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. But until he turns 17 in August, his contract can’t be processed with the NRL.
With there still being time to lure him back to union, RA have allegedly offered the teenager an absurd amount of money, a deal rumoured to be $3 million across three years.
Remember, he’s 16.
The pure desperation of not losing another prodigy like Kalyn Ponga to their cross-code rivals seems to have been too much to bear for Rugby Australia, who must see Suaalii as the solution to their issues.
Interim chief executive Rob Clarke rubbished the rumours about Suaalii mid-week, insisting that the value of the contract had been fabricated by the media.
For the sake of the sport, if they do manage to poach their man from league at the 11th hour, then Australian rugby needs Clarke to be telling the truth.
Let’s not forget, rugby is in a dire situation financially. They’ve been unable to secure a broadcast deal from next year with the future of Super Rugby still up in the air, which is just one issue at the top of a lengthy list.
In May, rugby received a financial aid package from World Rugby, but also released players from their contracts due to the uncertainty of the sports financial future. They had asked all players to take a 65% pay cut for six months due to the dire financial situation.
2019 Junior Wallabies Harry Hockings and Isaac Lucas, joined by Wallaby Izack Rodda, walked out on the Queensland Reds and Rugby Australia as a protest to this request.
Anthony Picone who was the manager of all three players, stated in response that “it is only reasonable that talented players want to secure stable employment during these times.”
How are these three players, and the players still playing in Australia for that matter, supposed to feel when they hear about a 16-year-old being offered this type of money?
Players like Wallaby Jordan Petaia, should now expect a significant raise that reflects his proven performance on the field when his current contract expires in 2022.
More players will head for the door if they aren’t paid and Rugby Australia must think long-term here.
While these players should expect more, the sport is struggling elsewhere – that’s where the money should be invested.
After three rounds of the original 15-team Super Rugby competition to start the year, there was an average of nearly 4,000 fewer fans at Australian home matches compared to the crowd averages from the whole season before.
Cash-strapped Rugby Australia has denied splashing out $3 million to nab teenage whiz Joseph Suaalii from under the noses of the NRL.https://t.co/2yDngo8fYW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 21, 2020
This speaks volumes about the declining passion for the sport.
The Business Insider also reported that from 2001 to 2016, Australian playing numbers were down 63% from 148,000 participants nation-wide to 55,000, making rugby the 26th most popular sport in the country at the time.
While there’s been an increase in participation numbers since, the days of rugby’s reputation as a tier one sport in Australia appear over.
Writing for rugby.com.au, former Wallaby Rod Kafer believes that rugby could soon be a “niche” sport if Australia does go at it alone next year and ditch New Zealand.
A lot would have to be done to prevent the sport from dropping down from tier one status at the start of the millennium, into this category just 20 years later.
Surely the money would’ve then been better spent on reinvesting in the grassroots, and reminding us all why we loved this game in the first place?
But Rugby Australia have apparently made their choice, which puts a weight of expectation on the youthful shoulders of the teenager who’ll instantly become one of the faces of the sport if and when he officially puts pen to paper.
For the type of money has allegedly been offered, you’d expect the fullback to be the star of the show for not just the Waratahs but the Wallabies as well.
But at his age, he can’t be expected to be anything more than just part of the rotation while showing glimpses of promise when he does feature.
The step up to playing against men, probably without playing Shute Shield or in the National Rugby Championship first, will take time.
Still, people are expecting Suaalii to make his Waratahs debut sooner rather than later, in what is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is expected of the 16-year-old.
The postponed Tokyo Olympics with the Australia sevens team is also apparently part of the plan, as is the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
But if he falls short of what’s expected of him and needs a bit more time to develop, Rugby Australia can’t afford to pay anyone this type of money when they may end up watching from the sidelines.
The game is too fragile to allow that to happen.
Either he’ll sink or swim; falter under the pressure and cost the sport a lot of money, or he’ll guide the Wallabies to the endless successes that are seemingly expected of him.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
8 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
8 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments