Wallaby out to take centre stage against former boss in Japan
SPOTLIGHT: Hunter Paisami is hoping to make up for lost time, with the centre looking for some solid minutes on the Wallabies’ tour starting with Japan on Saturday.
The arrival of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the Test arena prompted Len Ikitau’s shift in to inside centre and left Paisami bumped out of the Australian squad for the much of the year.
The 27-year-old Queensland Reds midfielder played his first international of 2025 in the Wallabies’ two-point loss to Argentina in the Rugby Championship Sydney in September, replacing Ikitau who had a lacerated knee.
But John Eales medallist Ikitau will miss the Test at the National Stadium in Tokyo against the Eddie Jones-coached Brave Blossoms, opening the door for Paisami to add to his 32 caps.
Ikitau and Wallabies forward Tom Hooper played their first club match with Exeter Chiefs in England on the weekend, although the pair will be available for the Wallabies at some stage through the tour.
Paisami, who was overlooked by then Wallabies coach Jones for the 2023 World Cup squad, said there was stiff competition for the No.12 jersey.
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“We’re keen obviously – there’s a few of us here, we’ve got Hamish [Stewart], Filipo Daugunu as well that can cover that 12 jersey,” Paisami said from Tokyo.
“So it’s for us just to push each other, compete, that way we can get better and hopefully get more game time in the 12 jersey.
“Obviously with the quality and consistency that Joey [Suaalii] and Len [Ikitau] have been playing, it’s pretty hard to go away from that.”
Carter Gordon is set to make his rugby comeback against Japan after his brief stint in the NRL, with Paisamu rating his new Reds teammate highly.
“He’s got a good skill set, a big body at 10, so it will be good if the opportunity does come to help Carter. I’m looking forward to it,” Paisami said.
“I’ve been training with him in Sydney those two days before we flew over and he looks sharp and ready to go.”
Paisami is one of the few survivors from the last Wallabies outfit to play in Japan, when the visitors held on for a 32-23 victory in Oita in 2021.
It was the closest margin in the six-Test history of the rivalry, with Australia unbeaten.
He said he remembered Japan’s speed in attack, which made them dangerous.
“Obviously, how quickly it was played, and they’ve also got a skill set as well to pull the trigger and go wide,” he said.
Paisami also frustratingly missed the entire spring tour in 2024.
He was originally set to return to Australia at some stage of the tour for the birth of his child, but never got on the plane due to a calf strain.
“I got a little calf injury the day before we flew out, and I was expecting a little one as well,” he said.
“It was a down moment for me, but then there was an up to it, being there for my little one.”
