Rugby needs Wallaby 'superstar' Suaalii says Wales coach Gatland / Photo: © AFP
Rugby needs Wallaby 'superstar' Suaalii says Wales coach Gatland
Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland believes "the game needs superstars" as his struggling side prepare to face Wallaby wonder Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on Sunday.
The 21-year-old centre marked his first professional game of rugby union with a man-of-the-match display during Australia's 42-37 win over England in a Twickenham thriller last weekend.
That performance cames less than a month after his multi-million dollar switch from rugby league, with Suaalii producing a superb one-handed pass that created Australia's opening try for full-back Tom Wright.
Suaalii, labelled an "aerial freak" by Australia coach Joe Schmidt, will hope for more of the same in Cardiff as the Wallabies look to inflict a record 11th successive Test defeat upon Wales by all opponents.
"I think the impressive thing about him was his off-loading game -- just being able to get the ball away," said Gatland.
"He didn't get a lot of opportunities with the ball in hand from an attacking perspective but it was just being able to get the ball he got away over the top for a try and not die with the ball."
The veteran New Zealander added: "I thought he fitted in pretty well for someone to be thrown into his first professional game at international level at Twickenham.
"I think the game needs people like that. The game needs superstars. For him to be named man-of-the-match as well, and to create that hype.
"We all know and are pretty aware that rugby in Australia needs a boost. And hopefully for him, that is the kind of boost that he may provide, particularly in Sydney with the Swans being involved in the AFL (Australian Rules) final."
Wales face Australia following a 24-19 defeat by Fiji at the Principality Stadium last weekend, a loss which left them still without a Test win since they beat Georgia in a World Cup pool match in Nantes over a year ago.
V.Bennett--TNT
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