As the NSW Waratahs were falling to a 48-33 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders in Sydney on Friday night, Australian rugby was given a reminder of the one that got away. Across town at the Olympic stadium in Homebush, former Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase scored an astonishing try for the Sydney Roosters in their NRL clash with Canterbury. In commentary, Nine broadcaster Mathew Thompson described Nawaqanitawase's effort as perhaps the "try of the decade". Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns used the word "freakish" to sum up what the ex-Waratah pulled off. Nawaqanitawase's try — his second of the match — didn't prevent the Roosters from going down 24-20 to the Bulldogs, but it illustrated the talent the Wallabies had at their disposal only two years ago. In late 2023, Nawaqanitawase announced he would be switching codes and joining the Roosters on a two-year contract ahead of the 2025 season. The decision robbed him of the chance to play the British and Irish Lions this year but provided the opportunity to return to rugby union ahead of the 2027 World Cup to be staged in Australia. The move was brought forward to last year, with Nawaqanitawase making his NRL debut against South Sydney in September. He has impressed for the Roosters this season and was mentioned as a potential bolter for the NSW State of Origin squad. Naysayers will contend the Wallabies are well stocked with wingers ahead of the Lions series and Nawaqanitawase's services aren't required. Such an argument, though, is missing the point. Australian rugby can't afford to lose world-class talent like Nawaqanitawase in any position, as adequate player depth is a significant challenge it faces in the professional game. At the junior level, it's locked in a continual tug of war with the NRL, who enjoy a much stronger financial position than governing body Rugby Australia. The task of keeping players in rugby will become more difficult due to the NRL's expansion to Perth and Papua New Guinea, in addition to the regular exodus to European and Japanese clubs. As much as securing Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the NRL was a coup for Australian rugby, losing Nawaqanitawase served as a major blow. O'Connor's solid return to Aussie shores With Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt looking on from the stands, James O'Connor showed his wares in Crusaders colours for the first time on Australian soil. O'Connor came off the bench for the New Zealand heavyweights in the 52nd minute of their match with the Waratahs. The Crusaders were comfortably leading 31-14 when O'Connor entered the fray and despite an early forward pass, he impressed with ball in hand during the lead-up to Tom Christie's try in the closing stages of the match. Across the early rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, this column suggested O'Connor needed to be considered for a spot in the Wallabies' squad against the Lions, despite a three-year absence from the Test arena. His versatility and mentoring skills would be of value, and he could be activated off the reserves bench in the same way the Crusaders have used him this season. Schmidt has spoken with O'Connor and acknowledged the 34-year-old's experience would be an asset, especially as he played against the Lions when they last toured Australia in 2013. Whether O'Connor has done enough to earn a Wallabies' recall remains to be seen. But Crusaders skipper David Havili is convinced O'Connor is up to the task. "He's been there, done it before, and certainly if I was picking a team, he'd be there," Havili said after the Crusaders' win over the Waratahs. "I think him being able to come on and finish games is exactly what you need in big Test matches." Brumbies go top of standings Regardless of results in the final two rounds, the ACT Brumbies will finish the regular season as the top-ranked Australian team. It's just reward for Stephen Larkham's troops, who overcame hiccups early in the season to be on top of the overall standings at the end of round 14, although they have played one more match than the Chiefs and Crusaders. The Brumbies faced a stiff domestic challenge against the Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night, before coming away with a 24-14 victory. They survived off 42 per cent possession, scoring three tries to two, and showed greater discipline, with the Reds conceding 12 penalties to their opponents' six. In the big matches, the Brumbies know they can turn to their stars, such as Rob Valetini and Tom Wright. Valetini was particularly effective in defensive breakdowns against the Reds, earning two penalties for the Brumbies with his work over the ball. Wright crossed the chalk for his first try of the season, but it was his link play in attack that came to the fore. Schmidt would be buoyed knowing both Valetini and Wright are enjoying solid form as the Lions series approaches. Lonergan pushes Wallabies claims Ryan Lonergan's recent performances have been attracting attention. But anyone monitoring the Brumbies' scrum-half's form beyond the past few weeks will know he's been nailing his KPIs since round one. Lonergan's passing from the scrum and ruck bases is slick and his decision-making has been sound. He is not afraid to show initiative and take calculated risks, such as when he darted down the blindside off a line-out to score a try in the Brumbies' 36-32 win over Fijian Drua in round one. Another string to Lonergan's bow is his goal-kicking and he slotted three conversions and a penalty goal against the Reds on Saturday night. Throughout the match, Lonergan held his own against Reds captain Tate McDermott, whose form this season makes him a deserved frontrunner for the Wallabies' starting scrum-half role. The Wallabies have choices in the position, with Jake Gordon the Wallabies' preferred nine last year and Western Force veteran Nic White playing well enough to be in contention. But Lonergan can't be discounted from at least nabbing a spot in the Wallabies' wider squad, given the career-best form he's enjoying with the Brumbies. Injuries hit Wallabies contenders They're hardly dropping like flies, but several Wallabies players are under injury clouds two months out from the first Lions Test in Brisbane. Both the Wallabies and Brumbies will be hoping Allan Alaalatoa sustained nothing more than calf tightness when he was assisted from the field in Canberra on Saturday night. Alaalatoa has been the stand-out Australian tight-head prop this season and will be crucial to the Brumbies' chances of going deep in the final series. The Brumbies are expected to give an update on their skipper on Monday. Wallabies staff will be sweating on the diagnosis, given the growing injury list among the four Australian Super Rugby Pacific teams. Reds trio Harry Wilson (arm), Liam Wright (shoulder) and Matt Faessler (hamstring) are sidelined with long-term injuries, while Suaalii (fractured jaw) has joined Max Jorgensen (syndesmosis) in missing the end to the Waratahs' season. Blindside flanker Rob Leota may have played his last match for the Waratahs after he left the Crusaders encounter during the first half with a suspected fibula injury. At best, Leota is a bench prospect for the Wallabies, given their back-row strength, but they would dearly love to have the Bayonne-bound utility forward available as he can provide cover lock. The Force were without Carlo Tizzano in their 38-7 loss to the Drua in Lautoka on Saturday, with the result ending their slim finals chances. Tizzano has missed the Force's past two matches with a pec injury. Again, the Wallabies can only wish this is a short-term issue as Tizzano provides a second option at openside flanker behind Fraser McReight.