Victor Matfield, a former South African rugby captain, expressed surprise that the Springboks frequently targeted Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii during their 42-38 loss to Australia in Perth. The Springboks, known for their dominance in aerial play, struggled in this area during the match, with Suaalii often gaining the upper hand when high balls were involved. In his podcast Rugby Rivals, Matfield praised the Wallabies' performance, noting that they attacked aggressively from the start and dominated several areas of the game. He was surprised by the number of kicks aimed at Suaalii, who is considered one of the best players in aerial duels. Matfield compared the situation to the era of Israel Folau, a former Australian rugby player known for his aerial skills. During that time, the Springboks had a specific strategy to avoid giving Folau high balls. Matfield expressed regret that the current strategy seemed to ignore Suaalii's strengths as an Australian winger. RugbyPass noted that the Springboks have built their successes on pressure at the kicking and aerial duels. Losing this sector was unusual, which Matfield acknowledged. Suaalii's ability to dominate under high balls made him difficult to contain. Matfield was perplexed by the choice of Suaalii as a target for South African kicks. He recalled that the coaching staff is usually meticulous, yet many kicks were directed at Suaalii, whom he ranks among the best players in aerial duels. He compared the situation to the time when Australia had Folau, explaining that a specific plan was needed to avoid giving him high balls. According to RugbyPass, the South African strategy did not seem to take into account Suaalii's strengths. Matfield felt that all the kicks were directed at Suaalii, whom he considers fantastic at the wing. He even wondered if the wing is not Suaalii's real position. John Kirwan, a former winger of the All Blacks, highlighted Suaalii's athleticism and ability to receive high balls. He noted that Suaalii comes from rugby league and, to his knowledge, briefly practiced Australian football.