Rugby Australia chief Phil Waugh has confirmed the deal to bring Joseph Suaalii across the Moore Park precinct will go ahead as planned.
Some doubt was cast on Suaalii’s $6 million cross-code switch following the axing of RA chairman Hamish McLennan, who had orchestrated the poaching.
The monster contract for the 20-year-old rugby league star was met with some criticism, given the amount of money being spent on one player from a rival code.
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But Waugh told The Sydney Morning Herald he has no plans to scupper the deal even after McLennan’s ousting.
“We’re committed to Joseph, he’s coming in in November (2024), hopefully, for the spring tour,” Waugh said.
“We need to deliver on what we say we’re going to deliver on – and that’s a big part of it.”
The news means Suaalii could make his Wallabies debut as early as November, just weeks after completing his NRL season with the Roosters.
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McLennan was spectacularly dumped as chairman after a vote of no confidence from the state associations a fortnight ago.
But he told the Herald last week he had spoken to Suaalii since, and the young player had no intentions of backing out of the switch.
”When he called, I didn’t ask him about his intentions but he made it clear he wants to honour his deal,” McLennan said.
The Roosters – whose headquarters lie barely 100 metres from RA’s in Moore Park – are attempting a revenge poaching of gun Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase.
Waugh hopes rugby can retain his signature.
“He’s a world-class athlete and a world-class human being to be fair. Those athletes in our system as role models, to young boys and girls are critical for the growth of our game,” Waugh told the Herald.
“We’ll work through it with all our good athletes and good people and make sure that they feel genuinely invested in rugby.”