Joseph Sua’ali’i to start for Australia against England on rugby union debut

Match will be 21-year-old’s first in professional union.

Joseph Sua'ali'i and Samu Kerevi train with the Wallabies. Pic: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Less than a month after switching rugby codes, Joseph Sua’ali’i will make his debut for Australia after being picked to start Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.

The 21-year-old has been thrown in at outside centre in a huge tour-opening game against an England side coming off a frustrating 24-22 loss to New Zealand last weekend.

Sua’ali’i last played in the 15-man code as a winger in 2019 for Australian Schoolboys in a victory over New Zealand. After that he established himself as a star in rugby league, playing for Samoa when they reached the World Cup final in 2022 and in the State of Origin.

He signed a three-year contract with Rugby Australia worth A$5.3m (£2.7m), which runs until the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Sua’ali’i is the only change to the team from their last Test, a loss to the All Blacks in Wellington in the Rugby Championship. The Wallabies were defeated five times in six games in that competition and finished last.

Fourteen of the players in the matchday 23 have not played at Twickenham before.

Australia (v England): T Wright; A Kellaway, J Sua’ali’i, L Ikitau, D Pietsch; N Lolesio, J Gordon; A Bell, M Faessler, T Tupou; N Frost, J Williams; R Valetini, F McReight, H Wilson. 

Replacements: B Paenga-Amosa, J Slipper, A Alaalatoa, L Salakaia-Loto, L Gleeson, T McDermott, B Donaldson, M Jorgensen.