Following the announcement of the Wallabies squad to face the British and Irish Lions in the second Test of the series in Melbourne, we pick our winners and losers from Joe Schmidt’s selections.
It’s do-or-die on Saturday for Australia after going down at Suncorp Stadium in the opening Test, but they have been boosted by key returnees for the series-defining fixture.
The boost in experience and grunt up front will surely give the Wallabies confidence.
So without further ado, here are our winners and losers.
Winners
Will Skelton
The truly world-class second-rower will have been bitterly disappointed that he missed the first Test, and his absence was sorely felt as the British and Irish Lions bossed the gainline for much of the game.
Will Skelton is a mammoth unit, but he does put his size to great use and will be a huge asset in halting the Lions’ rolling maul. The lock is very much a momentum expert, whether that be stopping the opposition’s or building his team’s, and his presence in the starting pack cannot be overstated.
The 33-year-old has had his fair share of injury setbacks throughout his career, but has timed his return to perfection to play a crucial role in the series.
Rob Valetini
For the past two years, Rob Valetini has comfortably been the Wallabies’ most effective and consistent performer, and much like Skelton, his absence was detrimental at Suncorp Stadium.
The back-rower has a tireless work ethic on both sides of the ball, but it’s not just the amount of work he gets through, but the manner in which he does it, too. Few in the gold pack get over the advantage line like he does, while he is just as impactful at lineout time and defensively.
Dave Porecki
Dave Porecki will earn his 21st Test cap on Saturday, but is vastly more experienced than that tally suggests and completes the trio of major boosts for the second Test.
The Wallabies’ lineout had its wobbles in the series opener, and there is no hooker in the squad as accurate as the 32-year-old. He skippered Australia during their torrid Rugby World Cup campaign in 2023, but now has the opportunity for redemption against the British and Irish Lions.
While Matt Faessler is a strong athlete and a reasonably solid set-piece operator, Porecki is quite simply a better option for a Test match of this magnitude. While the return of Skelton and Valetini are huge boosts for the Wallabies, Porecki’s timely recovery could well be even more crucial despite its understated nature.
Jake Gordon and Tom Lynagh
Schmidt has stuck with the same backline that ran out for the first Test match despite their struggles in Brisbane.
This means that Tom Lynagh earns his second start in the gold jersey and is partnered by Jake Gordon again. Lynagh, quite frankly, had a mare last weekend, and one would not have victimised the head coach if he pulled the trigger and got Ben Donaldson or James O’Connor to take over the playmaking reins.
Instead, Schmidt has put his faith in the son of Wallabies legend Michael Lynagh. There is no doubting his quality while he is arguably Australia’s best tactical kicking fly-half, but that was not evident against the Lions last week. He was not aided by his pack getting bullied up front, which might not be the case this week.
His half-back partner has also been the subject of scrutiny in the wake of the defeat to the tourists, with Tate McDermott shining off the bench. There is no doubt that McDermott adds real pace and accuracy in the latter stages of the match, and it’s clear that Schmidt wants that impact again. While Gordon isn’t the flavour of the week, he is a calm head and can rip open the opposition’s defence in a flash, but it is game management and kicking accuracy that is getting him the nod.
Joe Schmidt and the Wallabies
The scoreline in Brisbane truthfully flattered the Wallabies, with the Lions quite comfortably the better side on the day, but Schmidt will be pleased with the manner in which they fought back and didn’t just roll over, particularly in the final quarter of the match.
That second-half performance has given them something to work with, a template to produce a shock result, but they needed the personnel, too.
It was plainly evident that the Wallabies lacked power carriers in the first Test match, and in the form of Skelton and Valetini – and to a degree Porecki – they have got the forwards to rectify that issue.
The trio’s returns strengthen the bench too, with Jeremy Williams dropping to the bench and providing an out-and-out lock option among the replacements, with Tom Hooper falling out of the 23. While Hooper has impressed in the role for the Brumbies this season, he is more a flanker than a second-rower, with the bench far more balanced now.
The need for power is further highlighted by Langi Gleeson’s inclusion following his injury setback and Schmidt’s decision to go with a 6-2 split.
While the forward-heavy approach comes with its risks, the potential reward for the Wallabies is far greater as the coaches are able to hook tiring bodies off in the pack when needed. The first Test match was won and lost up front, and Australia needs to find some parity in order to avoid a repeat and may just have it with the improved health of the pack.
Losers
James O’Connor
The veteran Wallaby has repeatedly stated that he is keen to add value in any shape or form possible, but O’Connor will undoubtedly be gutted that he does not crack the nod for a second week in a row.
This after Lynagh’s disappointing showing in the opener and Schmidt’s decision to go for a 6-2 split. O’Connor’s utility would have been ideal on the bench, but is beaten to the role by Donaldson, who covers fly-half and full-back and impressed in Brisbane.
Schmidt is a big fan of player-to-player coaching, and the experienced playmaker is clearly in the squad right now for that purpose, but after being denied the opportunity of featuring in the touring matches, his chances of facing the Lions again look to be dwindling.
Nick Champion de Crespigny
After a powerhouse Test debut last week, where he topped the tackle count for the Wallabies, Nick Champion de Crespigny is rather unfortunate to miss out on the matchday squad entirely. Valetini was always going to replace him in the starting XV, with Harry Wilson now the nailed-on number eight, but the Western Force tyro will have fancied his chances of cracking the match.
Alas, it was not to be for the former Castres forward who will be watching on from the stands. We have not seen the last of Champion de Crespigny in the Wallabies jersey, that’s for certain, but we may have seen the last of him in this series.
Matt Faessler
Ditto for Faessler who makes way for Porecki. As mentioned above, the set-pieces did wobble somewhat in Test I, while Schmidt clearly prefers the front row combination of Billy Pollard, Angus Bell and Tom Robertson off the bench.
It’s easy to see why, too, as they add real energy and aggression in the latter stages of the game.
Tom Hooper and Andrew Kellaway
The victims of Schmidt’s decision to go for a 6-2 split and add more power on the bench. As mentioned above, Hooper is more of a flanker than a lock and the Wallabies boss has back more specialised option in the second-row.
Gleeson and Carlo Tizzano also get the nod over Hooper, hinting at a bit of a breakdown bombardment in the second half. The need to get a more accurate and impactful performance from the pack has had a domino effect on the backline, with Andrew Kellaway dropping out of the side.
The 29-year-old wasn’t poor during his 11-minute cameo but having an extra outside back on the bench for a match like this feels more like an insurance policy rather than an impactful selection. That is no slight on Kellaway with the simple fact being that a loose forward will have far more involvement than an outside backs in the closing the stages of the match regardless of the scoreline. A logical call.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Seru Uru
Forwards Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Seru Uru aren’t currently in the Wallabies squad, but their performances for the First Nations and Pasifika XV in the final midweek match will have surely raised the question in the selection at the very least.
Salakaia-Loto’s repeated omission is puzzling. A proven pedigree and quality at lock and blindside, while the turnaround would have been quick, you’d back the abrasive forward to be emotionally-driven to reproduce that form in such a clutch Test.
A bench role for either could have worked wonders for the Wallabies and only time will tell if Schmidt’s decision to snub them once again pays off.
Taniela Tupou
The same applies to Taniela Tupou, who has admittedly had issues with form this year. However, he looked back to his destructive best in the midweek fixture.
His scrummaging was top-notch while he showed major improvement with his work around the paddock. In a do-or-die Test match, surely you back the most destructive front row forward in the squad?
He could have gone a long way in sorting the issues on the gainline and provided a frightening prospect on the bench with Bell but Robertson’s form this season earns him the nod instead.