Suaalii keeps ‘open mindset’ to Wallabies position amid rising expectations for Rugby World Cup

He is known as the Wallabies’ foremost code-switcher, and there are growing calls for him to settle on a position that makes the most out of his unquestionable abilities. But Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has other ideas.Speaking at the NFL fan festival on Thursday to promote next year’s Rugby World Cup matches in Melbourne, Suaalii said he had no plans to specialise in just one on-field role.“My personality and me as a human, I’ve always loved trying to master different positions,” he said.“I feel like that’s the excitement with rugby. Myself, I know I can play 12, I know I can play 13, I know I can play fullback, I know I can play wing, hopefully when I’m a little bit older I can play 10 as well.“I’m just having an open mindset to position, and just trying to be great at what I do.”Suaalii may be showing patience two years into his Wallabies career, but given the high expectations around him ahead of next year’s home World Cup, there is growing agitation to ensure Australian rugby sees the best of the 23-year-old. He has largely played centre for the Wallabies, with only rare opportunities in the backfield.Prop James Slipper, who remains an emergency option for the Wallabies for next year’s tournament despite his formal international retirement, said Australia needs to find a way to maximise Suaalii’s impact.“With his athletic ability, he can play in pretty much any position in the back line, probably besides five-eighth,” he said.“But everybody just wants to see him with the ball in hand, and whether that’s at fullback or on the wing, he’s obviously at centre now, but I think the priority would be getting him some space with the ball in hand.”Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in action against Argentina in August. Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/Getty ImagesThe role of Suaalii is just one of several selection conundrums coach Les Kiss faces over the next year, including settling on a forward pack and a captain. No 8 Harry Wilson was named as skipper for the rest of the year, but with competition in the back row Wilson’s place in the XV is not guaranteed.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionRugby league recruits Mark Nawaqanitawase, Zac Lomax and Angus Crichton are also in contention for the World Cup side but there is precious little time for experimentation before the tournament kicks off with Australia v Hong Kong in Perth in October next year.Ryan Lonergan appears to have cemented his place at scrum half, but at fly half the Wallabies have been unable to settle since the last World Cup, and Carter Gordon broke his leg against Argentina and will now miss the coming matches against South Africa and New Zealand.“That five-eighth is obviously a really important position in any rugby team, and for us at the Wallabies, we just want a bit of stability there,” Slipper said. “It’s a shame for Carter but it gives an opportunity to someone else to come in.”Ben Donaldson is the likely candidate having started for the Wallabies in their last test against Argentina, but there have been calls to bring in Japan-based Noah Lolesio who appeared first choice under previous coach Joe Schmidt until injuring his neck last year.Veterans Bernard Foley, 37, and James O’Connor, 36, have also returned to Australian Super Rugby clubs ahead of the World Cup. Slipper said they were serious about their Wallabies ambitions.“The World Cup, it comes down to performance doesn’t it?” he said. “So you want your best players out there playing the game in those big games, and Bernard’s done that in 2015, he took us all the way to a World Cup final, so he’s been there, he’s done that before.“And Rabs [O’Connor] has been around for a long time, he’s been a part of Les [Kiss’s] at the Reds. They’ve got a lot of experience, both those players, and essentially it’s going to come down to who’s in good form, who’s performing at the time.”