The five players Joe Schmidt should bring into the Wallabies’ squad

The nucleus of Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies is firming-up and it must continue to do so as there’s only four more Wallaby games ahead of next year’s British and Irish Lions tour.

Schmidt has put his trust in a core group of players who regularly fill most of the matchday 23 but he does not yet have a wider squad he can trust to get the job done over the long grand slam tour.

Nine games into his tenure, and Schmidt would’ve wanted to unearth more Test ready players from the 16 debutants he’s blooded in 2024.

Debutants and some previously well-regarded veterans have failed to kick-on during this time and it’s opened the door for players outside the Wallaby eco system to come into the selection frame.

Schmidt needs impact, and although his players are yet to master his strategies, the squad’s baseline understanding is solid enough to accommodate new inclusions.

The Wallaby games and the two Australia A matches are all Schmidt has to find these reinforcements, who must adapt quickly to Test rugby and plug the gaps in Schmidt’s final squad of the year.

Ryan Lonergan, halfback

Halfback has seen the most chopping and changing of any position, and the position has escaped scrutiny.

Halfback is a crucial, game-driving position with none of the halfbacks have been outstanding.

The two older players, Jake Gordon and Nic White, have failed to consistently deliver on their unique skillsets while Tate McDermott’s core skills aren’t as good as the others.

Gordon hasn’t been able to consistently deliver on his boxkicking and running game, whereas White has been unable to use his strong pass and experience to positively influence games.

Apart from some decent early performances it must be said neither of the older heads have particularly impressed in their starting roles while McDermott has injected speed and energy into the games from the bench.

This is where Lonergan’s opportunity arises, and it should come at the expense of Nic White’s selection.

Lonergan’s all-round game is great and although his 2024 form was rocky, he’s experienced enough to kick-on from a patch of bad form.

He’s tried and tested at Australia A level with four games to his name as well as 78 games for the ACT Brumbies.

This is the type of player Schmidt can bring in late in the season, someone who could adapt to his game plan quickly.

White’s abrasive tactics with referees are now seemingly working against the Wallabies.

Perhaps it would serve all parties by shifting him to Australia A, to mentor a young gun like Teddy Wilson.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

4

Draws

0

Wins

1

Average Points scored

29

19

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

60%

Miles Amatosero, lock

Lock is a position where the Wallabies lack size and experience, Amatosero can provide size in spades.

At 125kgs and 203cm Amatosero is mad for the Test-match arena, however, Australia A is where he must earn his stripes.

Schmidt has blooded three locks and only Jeremy Williams, the smallest of Angus Blyth and Josh Canham, has prevailed.

Canham looked lost in his one appearance from the bench, while Blyth failed to use his towering frame of 204cm and 125kgs to intimidate opposition.

Amatosero knows a thing or two about intimidation and physicality, having played 31 games for French Top 14 side Clermont.

It’s an attritional, tough competition where being direct as a tight-five forward is a requisite, something which suits Schmidt’s narrow attack shape perfectly.

The raw size and potential of Amatosero, especially with the ambiguity surrounding Will Skelton’s Wallaby future, is too important an asset to go untapped.

Should he impress in the two Australia A games he should be on Schmidt’s radar as a development player for the rest of the spring tour.

He’s shown glimpses of power, manhandling players during the Super Rugby Pacific season, now he must show he can go to another level.

Tane Edmed, flyhalf

Five-eighth continues to be the most heavily scrutinised role in the Wallabies.

None of the current three playmakers have been standouts but it’s clear Schmidt has put his faith in Noah Lolesio, who has played the bulk of the minutes whilst Ben Donaldson and Tom Lynagh have shared the rest.

Donaldson’s running game is the best of the three, but he struggles to control the game whilst Lynagh has his own struggles with confidence and the rigours of the Test arena.

At this point, selecting Lynagh, who is evidently not physically ready for Test-level, is counterproductive for all parties because there’s little evidence he’ll be ready in eight months’ time.

Donaldson’s iffy form and Schmidt’s belief he doesn’t completely trust his own skillset, mean Edmed’s inclusion would be timely.

He’s proved himself at Australia A level and has had a successful NPC campaign in New Zealand with North Harbour.

Although the club competition is well below Test standard, Edmed is full of confidence and most importantly, he’s match fit.

Edmed is a direct operator and has almost 50 Super caps to his name.

Again, this is the kind of player Schmidt can afford to bring in so late in the piece, especially as his reserve options at no.10 are not aiding the side.

Edmed should be brought directly into the Wallabies set-up with Lynagh shifting to the Australia A campaign.

Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, centres

It’s a question of when, not if, Sua’ali’i becomes a Wallaby.

Considering he’s had several years out of the game; he needs match time to see how much learning he has to do.

The Australia A games will give the coaches a good read of his tactical awareness because he is definitely physically ready for Test-match rugby.

It appears Schmidt is strongly considering him at outside centre or fullback but a player of 100kgs and 196cm is exactly what the Wallabies need at inside centre.

Schmidt has options at no.12 and considering how unstable things have been in the halves and how unstable it could continue to be as Schmidt tinkers over the tour, a rookie no.12 doesn’t appear to be the right course of action.

Having Sua’ali’i as part of the wider Wallabies training squad after the Australia A tour is a perfect learning opportunity, similar to what Michael Cheika afford league covert Marika Koroibete.

Samu Kerevi, inside centre

Another player who could potentially bolster the inside centre stocks.

Kerevi is an enigma, he’s got all the tools to dominate at Test level but a lack of fitness, a run of injuries resulting in a lack of game time, mean his current form at Test level is an unknown quantity.

It’s also relevant to note that Kerevi is playing in Japan’s 2nd division competition.

It’s less physical than Super and far less demanding than Test-match rugby.

Schmidt can’t afford to take a punt on Kerevi and nor should it be believed that Kerevi could just turn up to Twickenham on November 9th and bend the English line.

At 108kgs and 187cm Kerevi would add much-needed bulk to the Wallabies undersized backline, but if he can bend the line, the question will be, can he do it for a full 80-minutes?

Having Kerevi play the two Australia A matches should give Schmidt a good indication of his fitness levels and whether he can bowl over the bigger bodies of English rugby.

The test for Kerevi like all these players, is not whether they can play at Test level, it’s whether they add impact and excel, for Schmidt cannot afford passengers with such precious little game time before the Lions come down under.