Les Kiss moves Suaalii to wing for Wallabies against Springboks
Wallabies coach Les Kiss has shifted Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from centre to wing for Sunday's Perth Test against South Africa.
Suaalii will start at wing for the first time in a Test since switching to rugby in late 2024. The 23-year-old has only played centre in 22 of his 24 Tests and only appeared on the wing as a substitute against Japan last month.
Kiss chose the move to counter the Springboks' heavy use of contested kicking, which relies on aerial dominance. Suaalii's height and athleticism make him a strong option to compete against South Africa's wingers.
Hunter Paisami moves to No.12 inside centre and Len Ikitau returns to No.13, the role he held before Suaalii's arrival. Paisami impressed against Japan and Argentina while Ikitau was injured.
Ben Donaldson keeps the No.10 spot as Carter Gordon recovers from a broken leg.
- 23 years old
- Suaalii's age
- 22 of 24
- Tests played at centre
- South Africa
- Opposition
- Perth
- Test location
Why it mattersThe positional shift tests a new backline combination in a critical Test and raises ongoing debate about where Suaalii plays best.
AustraliaWallabies fans will see a new backline tested against a strong South African side in Perth on Sunday.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 d ago
