Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii return for Waratahs sets up Zac Lomax showdown. But it’s not the best story of the game
The showdown between high-profile stars Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Zac Lomax will be the headline-grabbing event when the Waratahs take on the Force at the Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
But the feel-good story of the night, from a distance, will be the Super Rugby debut of a 32-year-old disabled worker who commutes daily from Wollongong and tipped the scales at 150kg last year.
Tight prop Apolosi Ranawai was named on the Waratahs’ bench for the first time and manager Dan McKellar also welcomed Suaalii in the 13th position after a seven-week absence due to a hamstring injury.
Suaalii’s return means Joey Walton will be shifted to inside centre, with Lawson replacing Creighton veteran Jack Debreczeni as the starting No.10.
The loss of tight prop Dan Botha, who was suspended for two matches on Tuesday night for an illegal clearing against the Crusaders, has also led to a change in the front row. Siosifa Amone will start from the 3rd row and Ranawai will also be on the bench.
The former Fiji under-20 player joined the Tahs on a training deal last year after a couple of strong seasons for Norths in the Shute Shield. He also played for NSW in the Super Rugby AUS competition last year.
“He’s definitely ready. He’s been in our program and around us for over six to nine months now, so it’s a dream come true and it just goes to show that he’s a great example for any young boy or man – don’t give up on your dream, when you’re 32 years old…anything is possible,” McKellar said.
Few Super Rugby matches will be celebrated as widely as the one at Ranawai.
After growing up in Nadi, he moved to Australia to play rugby for the Wollongong Tech Waratahs before trying his luck in Sydney. Ranawai was playing in the lower grades at Warringah before joining Norths in 2021, where he began to make a name for himself as a No.3 powerhouse in attack and carrying the ball.
Ranawai produced strong seasons in 2022 and 2023 while working in the disability sector and commuting from Wollongong, almost helping the North claim the Shute Shield in 2023 by winning a scrum penalty in the 79th minute of the grand final. Ranawai returned to Fiji in 2024 for family reasons and moved up to 150kg before returning to Sydney and returning to Norths in 2025.
But after training hard and dropping his playing weight back to 135kg, he attracted interest from Fjiian Drua and Tahs after another strong season.
“He’s had his moments – he’ll share his stories with you himself – I think he’s pretty proud of where he’s come from,” McKellar said. “It’s a great story, he’s incredibly committed to the group, he comes from the Wollongong area every day and he’s really committed to the Waratahs and he’s trying to fulfill a dream, so I’m really happy for him.
“These are great stories… I think that’s what gets you out of bed, seeing guys accomplish what they’re going to accomplish on a Friday night. Everybody has a different story and a different path, but they’re all really important and special, and I think there’s nothing more special than Apo’s.”
According to McKellar, Suaalii, which has been close to receiving the green light for several weeks, is in “excellent” condition.
“He’s strong, he’s got good footwork, he’s got power, he can beat you before contact and after contact,” the NSW coach said. “I honestly think his presence has brought joy to the whole group, a real energy to how we’ve been training over the last few days and I’m always excited to get back out there with him on Friday.”
Although a hyped “showdown” with Lomax was based almost entirely on their shared NRL history, McKellar said he was happy to join the build-out and praised the Western Force winger, who made his debut just a game ago.
“Zac is an outstanding footballer, he has had a very good career in the NRL and it is great that he is now playing rugby union,” McKellar said.
“Honestly, his skills are suitable for the game and to get a match between him and Su [Suaalii] – it’s probably rare how often they come face to face – but it’s good that the fans and certainly the media are excited and that creates a little bit more interest and that’s what we want.
“I think we saw the interest in the Super Round in Christchurch last week and that has given the competition a huge boost and we want to see that continue.”
Iain Payten is senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect with: X or email.
