It tends to happen once a generation that we come across a player who just has all the physical attributes to play rugby league.
We had Sonny Bill Williams. Then Greg Inglis. And now Joseph Suaalli is the next reiteration of that player who is just genetically designed to be a phenomenal rugby league player with outstanding attributes. Watching the Samoa full-back - who’s still only 19 - he is definitely that type of player. He could be something hugely special. He’s been special already in the games I've seen him play and he’ll only develop more.
He does remind me of Inglis in many ways: tall, lean, athletic, very strong for his size but also with that raw bravery and courage to throw himself into the line as hard as he possibly can. He’s got good footwork, is quick and if you want to get in a test tube all the physical attributes of an outstanding back, he’s your man. The key for England in today’s World Cup semi-final against Samoa is where they kick to and making sure they persistently kick to the side of the field Suaalii least likes bringing it out from. And it can’t just be two or three sets: they have to relentlessly kick there like they did against Papua New Guinea.
