Not for the first time this year, an Australian rugby player didn’t go down after being struck high.
Tom Lynagh copped a late and high shot against the Highlanders last month, but Super Rugby officials allowed play to continue because the little No.10 got up quickly.
On Friday, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii looked dumbfounded when action initially wasn’t taken when he was struck high by Chiefs centre Gideon Wrampling.
Eventually, play was blown up and Wrampling was shown a yellow card.
Should it have been upgraded to a red card?
Super Rugby’s officials clearly didn’t think so because Wrampling wasn’t cited.
But didn’t the centre’s technique go squarely against everything World Rugby is trying to eradicate?
As Justin Harrison said in commentary, Wrampling went from low to high in making contact with Suaalii – who by the way is 196cm tall and was upright.
“You’re blind Freddie if you don’t realise that that meets the yellow card threshold,” Harrison said on Stan Sport.
“I’d mount a case that that’s a straight red.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii fends away Gideon Wrampling after being hit high by the Chiefs centre during the Waratahs’ hard-fought win at Allianz Stadium on April 11, 2025. (Photo by Robbie Stephenson/Getty Images)
“Irrespective of whether he’s trying to wrap, the first contact is with head, coming from low to high with a lot of time, there’s no late change of direction or a dip from Suaalii. He’s six-foot seven and he’s managed to put one on his chin with his shoulder.”
Super Rugby officials saw it differently, saying there had been mitigation because of a late change in direction.
Had Suaalii been injured though, would the result have been different?
Perhaps you could argue that there was a lack of force, but a day after French rugby great Sebastien Chabal revealed he had “no memories” of his decorated career, and Dan Vickerman’s grandmother told The Australian the late Wallabies star had displayed all the signs of CTV, it was a poor look.
Must players be injured for discipline to occur?
Why it could be a win, win for Wallaby to head oveseas
Jake Gordon has been weighing up whether or not to stay in Australian rugby for more than a year.
His request for an early release was rejected last year, before Joe Schmidt turned to him for the international season and made him his first choice No.9.
Even so, at 31, Gordon has been weighing up whether to stay put or enjoy a stint overseas after playing his career at the Waratahs.
But would it be in the best interest for both parties to let him go?
Jake Gordon is off contract, but would Rugby Australia benefit by the halfback leaving? (Photo by Luis Veniegra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Not only could Rugby Australia save the best part of $450,000, the Wallabies could still pick him from overseas, and the Waratahs could invest in Teddy Wilson.
After all, Wilson, the former Junior Wallabies skipper, is clearly the future in the No.9 jersey.
Finally given a run in the No.9 jersey because of Gordon’s knee injury, the 22-year-old has thrived in the absence of the Waratahs skipper.
A probing halfback, it comes as no surprise that Wilson is also built robustly and is strong through the shoulders just like his old man David. He’s also got the pace of Tate McDermott.
It’s a recipe that has Wilson on the upward trajectory.
Friday night’s stunning finish and support play was just the start of it.
Schmidt’s Suaalii conundrum
We’re almost ten weeks into the Super Rugby season, but has Joe Schmidt learned much more about his new shiny toy Suaalii?
The best and worst of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was on display against the Chiefs on Friday.
One thing’s for certain, the good far outweighed the bad.
But Suaalii’s passing game was exposed against the Chiefs.
We know he’s better than most in Australian rugby through contact and can hit hard in defence, but for the first time we saw Suaalii struggle to throw a couple of left-to-right passes.
The first occurred in the opening minutes when Suaalii’s no-look pass floated well forward.
The next occurred in the 61st minute when his pass just short of the halfway line floated forward and found Jamie Adamson rather than Lawson Creighton, who was the intended target.
It’s clearly a major work-on for Suaalii, who rarely had to pass during his years at the Sydney Roosters, where he was predominantly used as a battering ram in the centres or wing.
That work through contact was on display when he beat Damian McKenzie and then carried a couple of defenders over to score early in the first half. It was a play and patch of grass that Suaalii regularly saw when playing in the NRL.
But what’s it all mean for Schmidt?
Well, it does give Suaalii another string to his bow and, at the same time, allows Schmidt to get to view him in the position.
Is it where Schmidt will play Suaalii against the Lions, though?
After all, the New Zealander has fellow fullbacks Tom Wright and Andrew Kellaway up his sleeve.
Lolesio’s bounce back
A week after it was confirmed Noah Lolesio was off overseas, the 25-year-old enjoyed his best game of the season.
Schmidt’s first-choice No.10 did everything you want from your Wallabies flyhalf.
He helped weather a storm, played the game at the right end of the field and underplayed his hand.
Lolesio’s kicking game was crucial to the turnaround.
From messy ball, Lolesio’s 50-22 in the 38th minute gave the Brumbies the possession and territory to score their third try of the first half.
It was an astonishing turnaround, having trailed 14-0 early.
Then his long clearing effort from a mark inside his 22 led to Lynagh spilling the ball into touch.
Once again, the Brumbies made the Reds pay.
Noah Lolesio showed his Test smarts against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
It was off the back of Lolesio and Ryan Lonergan’s fine work of underplaying their hand behind a pack that went to business and rolled up their sleeves that proved the difference between the two sides.
Indeed, it was a performance built around physicality and playing the conditions – and Stephen Larkham didn’t mind twisting the knife in the post-match either by reminding the Reds that either.
Reds pay ultimate price – and it could impact Test selection
Over the past fortnight the Reds’ work at the maul has cost them two wins.
Against the Chiefs in Hamilton their maul failed to get going despite one early bit of success.
A week later, the Brumbies then turned the screws on the Reds in the department.
Although Richie Asiata managed to get one try from it, they also conceded two tries in five minutes to see the game get away from them.
Billy Pollard showed the patience required to succeed at the maul by scoring twice.
But Schmidt’s assistants would have noticed the meek work from Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the area.
Although the big lock was strong around the park against the Chiefs, his work at the maul remains one of his major areas to work on.
The giant lock was completely ineffective against the Brumbies, twice barely injecting his weight to stop the visitors in their tracks.
The Lions will have noticed Salakaia-Loto’s weakness in the area.
Christy Doran’s Australian Super Rugby team of the week
Angus Bell, Ethan Dobbins, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Ben Grant, Rob Valetini, Jamie Adamson, Langi Gleeson, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Triston Reilly, Joey Walton, Ollie Sapsford, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
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