Overview
- McKellar confirmed on Wednesday that Joseph‑Aukuso Suaalii will start at outside centre for the Waratahs’ final Super Rugby game against the Western Force.
- The match is a dead rubber after the Waratahs were eliminated from finals contention following last week’s loss to the Brumbies.
- Pete Samu, Jake Gordon and Andrew Kellaway return to the matchday 23 while Triston Reilly drops to the bench and 20‑year‑old Sid Harvey is omitted for workload management.
- The game will serve as farewells for departing players including Tom Lambert, Ioane Moananu and France‑bound Joey Walton and will mark Matt Philip’s 100th provincial cap.
- Suaalii has had an interrupted NSW season because of hamstring and jaw injuries, and McKellar’s public assertion that the club chose to play him signals a focus on internal workload decisions ahead of the Wallabies’ July Tests.