It was at a barbecue overlooking the Sydney Harbor Bridge where Joseph Sua’ali’i collected one of the biggest checks in the history of Australian rugby.
He was eating Portuguese chicken with Eddie Jones and Hamish McLennan last summer, the then coach and chairman of Rugby Australia both having turned on the charm.
Keen to impress the market, Jones and McLennan had their sights set on poaching two of their country’s biggest rugby league signings in Sua’ali’i and Cameron Murray.
Sua’ali’i was soon out of school, where he played union, and made a name for himself as one of the most athletic backs in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters.
McLennan took it upon himself to sign him up and spoke with him for months before bringing his family to his waterfront home to sign a cross-code contract worth nearly $5 million. It was the biggest cross-code deal since Sam Burgess.
Joseph Sua’ali’i could now make his Wallabies debut at Twickenham on Saturday against England
The 21-year-old star signed the largest cross-code switch deal worth approximately $5 million
He was convinced to make the move after a barbecue with ex-Australia coach Eddie Jones
Sua’ali’i, 21, has joined the Wallabies for the first time on their autumn tour and could now make his professional 15-a-side debut against England on Saturday.
“Eddie thought he was a superstar,” McLennan told Mail Sport. “I asked the question, “Has anyone spoken to Sua’ali’i?” No one had bothered to call him, so I called him directly. I wouldn’t have done it if Eddie didn’t feel like it.
“Nobody thought we could get him because he was so stuck in the league system and the Roosters are a top team.
‘He was a nice guy. I asked him if he wanted to come play rugby and he told me he had always dreamed of playing for the Waratahs or the Wallabies. He said: “For me it’s all football.”
“His agent came back with a request to meet the family, so I invited them all over for dinner. It was me, Eddie, Joseph, Phil Waugh [CEO]Joseph’s parents – Celina and Chris – my wife Lucinda, daughter Olivia and her boyfriend Alex. We had a BBQ and Lucinda cooked her Portuguese chicken. We all had a great time and Joseph agreed to come over.”
Sua’ali’i’s defection was front-page news in Australia. He will be one of the Wallaby poster boys for the 2025 Lions tour and 2027 World Cup; following the example of Israel Folau, Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor, among others, who crossed the intra-union divide.
“Union has been raided by league talent scouts for 20 years,” McLennan added. ‘That’s why the Wallabies have fallen from their place. Rugby Australia has had dysfunctional journeys and we have also lost talent to the AFL.
Sua’ali’i was widely regarded as one of the Roosters’ most exciting and athletic outside defenders
Hamish McLennan claimed Sua’ali’i’s move was ‘bigger’ than Sam Burgess’ blockbuster switch
Before his move, Burgess had established himself as one of the NRL’s biggest stars
“I’d say Joseph has already paid for himself. I’d say we had $50 million worth of publicity. At every rugby league match they’ve been talking about him going to the union. He will sell out stadiums.
“It’s bigger than the Sam Burgess code switch. Sam was a pretty big star here, but Sua’ali’i is bigger. As great a player as Sam Burgess was, Joseph will become even greater. Joseph grew up playing rugby and everyone here sees his potential.
“Whether it’s rugby league or rugby union, everyone in Australia agrees he’s a once-in-a-generation player. He is so talented that he can go straight into the Test squad without playing Super Rugby.”
Sua’ali’i has arrived with glowing credentials. With his height of 1.80 meters, he has already proven himself under the high ball at the highest level of rugby competition. His speed and strength earned him a State of Origin call-up and he has the versatility to play fullback, fullback or centre-back.
“To come in and be the highest-paid player in rugby shows what they think of him,” All Black code-changer Sonny-Bill Williams said. ‘I met him in and around the Roosters. When you look at him up close, you know he is an athlete.
Sua’ali’i has received rave reviews since his arrival in the 15-a-side code
McLennan said Sua’ali’i had already paid himself due to the publicity his move has received
‘Ask Sam Burgess how difficult it was to move from striker to midfield. Ask Benji Marshall how hard it was to learn how to be a halfback. Joseph grew up playing rugby, so he knows the game. He has been playing competitively for the last few years, but he knows the nuances around the ruck and the breakdown.
‘If you are a winger, like Joseph, the difference is not that big. In midfield you are a thinking player, you have a voice, you look at defensive shapes, what are the bad habits of a player… Joseph will have to think about that, but he has already played in those outside back roles.
“His job in the league is to get on the outside, make breaks, score tries and light the fire. He is good under the high ball, so that will also be one of his strengths when he is put on the wing at Test level.”
His schoolboy experience with unions makes him a ready-made weapon. There are rumors he will be thrown into the deep end this weekend, a surprise weapon under World Rugby’s rule changes that have made the aerial battle more moot.
He has experience playing rugby union at school but has yet to feature professionally
The 21-year-old joined the Waratahs this year and has been praised by his teammates
“He’s been training really well,” Wallabies teammate Samu Kerevi said. ‘We’ve had him for a few days now and he’s been bugging me with so many questions, details like a breakdown.
“We’ve seen him play State of Origin, we’ve seen him play at the highest level of rugby league. Even though it’s a different game, the translation of how he competes, it’s there. Physically he is there.
‘Even as a 21-year-old he reminds me of Israel Folau. I know he’s keen to get a Test jersey and play football, so I think he’ll be ready. He supports himself, and that’s what you want.
“His attention to detail is really good because he wants to learn the game more, know the game really well and run it under test lights.”