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The 'next Folau' tipped to become a Wallaby before leaving school
Georgina Robinson
5-7 minutes
He is the 15-year-old fullback they are calling the 'next Israel Folau', who shook like a leaf when he met his namesake this year and could be a Wallaby before he finishes school.
His name is Joseph Suaalii and he is at the heart of a push by Rugby Australia to sew up their best young talent and fight off suitors from other codes.
The next Izzy? Joseph Sauulii steps out for the GPS 1st XV.
Photo: Paul Seiser/SPA Images
The Kings College fullback, who lit up the GPS competition this year, is only in Year 9 but is already the same height as Folau and has rugby recruiters dreaming he could eclipse the dual international given he is in the rugby system earlier.
Suaalii grew up playing rugby league in Penrith but had started rugby, AFL, basketball and athletics by the age of 11 and as a Regentville Public School Year 6 student made an astonishing four NSW PSSA teams at the same time.
He played in the Harold Matthews Cup for South Sydney u18s this year and is also interested in basketball, but RA believes if he sticks with rugby he is a real chance of eclipsing James O'Connor as the youngest ever Wallabies debutant in the professional era (O'Connor was 18).
How they will make that happen is becoming clearer after a major overhaul of the Super Rugby academies. Players as young as 15 will be aligned with academy programs designed to complement their school and club duties, with a view to playing in a new Under-19 Rugby Championship (URC). The Cauliflower understands RA will also use scholarships to keep promising school-leavers in the rugby system as their bodies and skills develop.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has played a big role in helping RA keep their top talent close, addressing a group of 20 NSW Schoolboys earlier at Allianz Stadium this year and telling them his "greatest dream" was to sit in the stands in coming years and watch them play top flight rugby.
Cheika also met with Suaalii and brought along the 15-year-old's idol, Folau. A source told The Cauliflower that despite the fact Suaalii is already big enough to look the decorated fullback in the eye, the youngster shook like a leaf.
Israel Folau converted to rugby in 2013 after playing at the highest level in rugby league and trying AFL on for size.
Photo: AAP
Suaalii is just one of the schoolboy talents Rugby Australia is keeping tabs on. Year 12 students Will Harris (Scots) and Angus Bell (Newington) have all been retained in rugby despite big interest from NRL clubs. The pair were among RA and the Waratahs' top two schoolboy targets this year.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...by-before-leaving-school-20180920-p504zd.html
Makes you wonder in what the talent scouts are doing as yet another potentially great player slips through our fingers.Already got burned a number of years ago when Kurtley Beale went to play Ruggah.
Georgina Robinson
5-7 minutes
He is the 15-year-old fullback they are calling the 'next Israel Folau', who shook like a leaf when he met his namesake this year and could be a Wallaby before he finishes school.
His name is Joseph Suaalii and he is at the heart of a push by Rugby Australia to sew up their best young talent and fight off suitors from other codes.
The next Izzy? Joseph Sauulii steps out for the GPS 1st XV.
Photo: Paul Seiser/SPA Images
The Kings College fullback, who lit up the GPS competition this year, is only in Year 9 but is already the same height as Folau and has rugby recruiters dreaming he could eclipse the dual international given he is in the rugby system earlier.
Suaalii grew up playing rugby league in Penrith but had started rugby, AFL, basketball and athletics by the age of 11 and as a Regentville Public School Year 6 student made an astonishing four NSW PSSA teams at the same time.
He played in the Harold Matthews Cup for South Sydney u18s this year and is also interested in basketball, but RA believes if he sticks with rugby he is a real chance of eclipsing James O'Connor as the youngest ever Wallabies debutant in the professional era (O'Connor was 18).
How they will make that happen is becoming clearer after a major overhaul of the Super Rugby academies. Players as young as 15 will be aligned with academy programs designed to complement their school and club duties, with a view to playing in a new Under-19 Rugby Championship (URC). The Cauliflower understands RA will also use scholarships to keep promising school-leavers in the rugby system as their bodies and skills develop.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has played a big role in helping RA keep their top talent close, addressing a group of 20 NSW Schoolboys earlier at Allianz Stadium this year and telling them his "greatest dream" was to sit in the stands in coming years and watch them play top flight rugby.
Cheika also met with Suaalii and brought along the 15-year-old's idol, Folau. A source told The Cauliflower that despite the fact Suaalii is already big enough to look the decorated fullback in the eye, the youngster shook like a leaf.
Israel Folau converted to rugby in 2013 after playing at the highest level in rugby league and trying AFL on for size.
Photo: AAP
Suaalii is just one of the schoolboy talents Rugby Australia is keeping tabs on. Year 12 students Will Harris (Scots) and Angus Bell (Newington) have all been retained in rugby despite big interest from NRL clubs. The pair were among RA and the Waratahs' top two schoolboy targets this year.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...by-before-leaving-school-20180920-p504zd.html
Makes you wonder in what the talent scouts are doing as yet another potentially great player slips through our fingers.Already got burned a number of years ago when Kurtley Beale went to play Ruggah.
There are more important things to get riled up about than player movements.Just a little peeved at the talent scouts who you would think would be monitoring players like this,albeit there are players across the NRL who could have been playing for us.
