When I was England head coach, I moved heaven and earth to sign Jason Robinson.
I spent lots of time chatting to Jason to try to convince him to cross codes from league to union because I knew the difference he could make to my team.
Ultimately, I was so glad I did because he made a huge, huge impact. What’s funny though is that the first time I saw Jason train, the reason I was actually there was to see Andy Farrell!
I didn’t manage to convince Farrell to come to the 15-a-side game – even though he did move across eventually – and I also failed in trying to sign Kevin Sinfield from Leeds Rhinos.
But in Jason, there was a player who proved it is possible to be a cross-code success. Jason lit up English rugby union with his pace and footwork.
Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i’s first professional rugby union game will be his debut against England
Jason Robinson and Sam Burgess had differing experiences moving from league to union
Joe Schmidt has made the punch call in choosing to start Sua’ali’i at Twickenham on Saturday
I was reminded of him this week, after Australia selected Joseph Sua’ali’i to start against England on Saturday.
Sua’ali’i is just 21. Remarkably, he has never played a game of professional rugby union, so his first will come on his Test debut. It is simply an astonishing story, I think it’s fantastic.
Professional sport needs stories like this. The start of England’s autumn campaign has felt quite negative with a row over the Haka and then Danny Care’s book revelations on the Eddie Jones regime, plus the defeat by New Zealand. In Sua’ali’i, rugby has a great tale to tell.
His selection has added a huge sense of intrigue to England’s second November Test and for that, I think the Wallabies deserve a huge amount of credit.
Well done Joe Schmidt, the Australia head coach, for making such a punchy call because it would have been far easier to leave him out altogether or put him on the bench.
There is no doubt Sua’ali’i is the real deal. He wouldn’t be playing this weekend if not.
Australia – led by their former coach Jones – splashed the cash to sign Sua’ali’i from rugby league and I really, really hope he is a success. Everyone expects England to win. Indeed, every game for England should be a must win. However, the Australia match certainly falls into that category on the back of what was a disappointing loss to the All Blacks.
For Australia, it’s very different. They really have nothing to lose, which is why I think the selection of Sua’ali’i is so inspired.
Burgess never quite made the grade as England and the RFU could never get his position right
Sua’ali’i starts at outside centre and will get his hands on the ball more than on the wing
There is no pressure on Sua’ali’i which makes Australia dangerous opposition for England
Personally, I’ve never believed in targeting individual players, so I don’t think that’s something England should do with Sua’ali’i despite his huge inexperience.
Sua’ali’i played union growing up, so he does have knowledge of the game to go with his undoubted quality. Make no mistake, there is absolutely no way such a canny operator as Schmidt would have selected him if he wasn’t up to the standard required.
I read in these pages earlier this week a comparison between Sua’ali’i and Sam Burgess, who moved from rugby league to union in England but never quite made the grade.
I think there’s a big, big difference between the two. England and the RFU could never get Burgess’ position right. They couldn’t decide if he was a flanker or a centre.
In the end, he was involved in England’s disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign on home soil as a midfielder, but we didn’t see him again after that.
That was a shame because Burgess undoubtedly had talent. But the difference between him and Sua’ali’i is that the latter is undoubtedly an outside back.
Sua’ali’i starts at outside centre against England, a very difficult position to defend at international level, perhaps the most difficult. But in attack, it also gives him a chance to get his hands on the ball more than if he was starting on the wing. That will help him.
There isn’t really any pressure on Sua’ali’i which I think makes Australia dangerous opposition for England.
There’s no doubt that Australia have gone missing in recent times. Rugby union has lost ground in their country behind cricket, rugby league, Aussie Rules, and now football. The sport there faces something of an identity crisis.
They have the talent, of that there is no doubt, and I am encouraged by the number of players-turned-administrators from the classes of 1999 and 2003 who care deeply about the game. At their best Australia, epitomise fast, running rugby and are artists of timing.
All that is combined with a grit, competitiveness, and no small about of chat! I really hope Schmidt can rediscover Australian rugby’s identity and make the country fall in love with union again. The global game needs a strong Australia. I think they will improve markedly ahead of next summer’s series with the British and Irish Lions.
In Sua’ali’i, they have played their wildcard. England will have to be on their mettle.
Steve Borthwick has swapped centres Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade against Australia
Borthwick has kept faith with the same team from the All Blacks for the match with Australia
Steve Borthwick has swapped his centres around for Australia, but I don’t think that makes much of a difference to the team. If I were Borthwick, I’d have named Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence in the same positions as they started against New Zealand and surprised Australia on the day.
There was no need for England to lay out their cards so early. However, it really shouldn’t make a difference to the result.
I’m pleased Borthwick kept faith with the same team from the All Blacks, as England should have won that game. I hope that anger and frustration will drive them against Australia.
I’ll predict England to win, but I don’t think it will be straightforward. I expect Sua’ali’i to lead Australia in a tight game and for his team-mates to follow his lead. It should be some game.
