- Joseph Suaalii looking to leave his mark in rugby union
- Signed a lucrative three-year deal with Rugby Australia
- Sonny Bill Williams passed on some words of wisdom
- SBW excelled in multiple sporting arenas in his career
Cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams has issued some timely advice for Joseph Suaalii as the former Roosters young gun prepares for his rugby ‘journey’ with the Wallabies.
Their sporting paths have many similarities – Williams was also a schoolboy prodigy, made his NRL debut as a teenager and both have Samoan background.
The duo also spent time under Trent Robinson at Bondi – and now Suaalii, 21, is chasing a new sporting challenge in the 15-man code – just like ‘SBW’ did, going onto win two World Cups with New Zealand.
Suaalii’s reported contract of $5.3million over three years with Rugby Australia will also ensure his every move will be heavily scrutinised.
Williams, who won two NRL premierships and played 58 rugby Tests for the All Blacks, believes Suaalii needs to lead by example.
‘The best advice is simple and logical. Just take your time, shut out [any] outside noise and go about your business,’ he told Wide World of Sports.
‘Train hard, work hard, be the first in the gym, put your hand up to learn and to do extras.
‘I’ve met him a couple of times. He’s a good young man, level headed, very respectful.
Cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams has issued some timely advice for Joseph Suaalii as the former Roosters young gun prepares for his rugby ‘journey’ with the Wallabies
Suaalii’s reported contract of $5.3million over three years with Rugby Australia will also ensure his every move will be heavily scrutinised (pictured, playing for the Roosters)
‘He’s got some good people around him and I’m an open book if he ever wants to have a yarn.’
Williams went onto dismiss the notion that Suaalii has to earn his spot in Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad.
‘He is [going to be] the highest paid player in Australian rugby,’ he said.
‘The [British] Lions are coming next year. I played for the All Blacks with no Super Rugby experience. So it’s doable.
‘There’s going to be a lot of scrutiny, but I believe he’ll be successful on his journey.’
Williams added Suaalii ‘can’t fly under the radar’ and that ‘pressure is part and parcel of the game.’
‘We are in a high performance space and we all get questioned,’ he said.
It comes as the Wallabies are currently ranked 10th in the world and finished last in the Rugby Championship, behind South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina.
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