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Why the Wallabies’ overseas selection chatter has been deathly silent
The conversation around overseas selection (OS) or Giteau Law picks has been largely muted so far in 2025, which is astonishing, considering it’s a British & Irish Lions year.
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The conversation only really resurfaced when Langi Gleeson was cut from the Wallabies camp in January, for signing with French Top 14 club Montpellier.
It sent a clear message to other off-contract players, ‘don’t leave or there’ll be consequences.’
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It’s an important message as there are only two years until the home Rugby World Cup.
However, just in the last week, rumours have circulated around key Wallaby flanker, Fraser McReight, and about his million-dollar potential contracts in Japan.
Nothing is final, an official figure of offer hasn’t been seen yet but even this news, of one of the best Wallabies potentially leaving Australian shores, hasn’t managed to stir up the overseas selection chatter.
Other key Wallabies like Tom Wright, Jake Gordon, and Noah Lolesio are yet to decide their futures, with rumours about the latter also suggesting he is set to leave.
Others have already largely decided to leave, with world class outside centre Len Ikitau already taking a deal to play with the English Premiership club Exeter, for their 2025/26 season.
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However, this deal is more in line with a talented and valued player getting a ‘sabbatical’, as opposed to an outright loss of talent for Rugby Australia.
While Joe Schmidt’s message was clear with Gleeson, the young Waratahs backrower has since revealed to the Sydney Morning Heralds’ Iain Payten; Schmidt gave him a lifeline, saying if he plays well enough, he can still feature in the Lions series.
So why is the OS zeitgeist so quiet, when it has been so dominant before?
Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge the role the impressive early form of the Australian Super Rugby Pacific teams has on shaping the optics around Wallabies’ selection.
Australian sides are nine wins from fourteen matches, two of those wins have occurred outside of Australia, and a key one came last weekend at Eden Park against the Blues.
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Form along with the general positivity around the competition means the ever-present OS conversation has been muted.
Super Rugby Pacific
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Chiefs
4
3
1
0
14
2
Waratahs
3
3
0
0
13
3
Highlanders
3
2
1
0
9
4
Crusaders
3
2
1
0
9
5
Reds
3
2
1
0
9
6
Brumbies
4
2
2
0
9
7
Force
4
2
2
0
9
8
Fijian Drua
4
1
3
0
7
9
Moana Pasifika
4
1
3
0
6
10
Blues
4
1
3
0
6
11
Hurricanes
4
1
3
0
5
Fans are seeing strong performances both individually and as teams, and it appears they are less worried about Wallaby stocks than they have been before.
The optics are only half the equation, the other half comes down to the coffers of Rugby Australia.
RA are tightening the salary belt and trying to slow wage inflation, whilst trying to keep players onshore, and this can impact how players think about their futures in Australia.
This also means with several other Wallabies and promising talent yet to sign to RA or having signed long term deals already, RA won’t break the bank for someone like Gleeson.
This policy from RA may mean we see more sabbaticals like that of Ikitau, for players a fair bit younger than is convention.
Nevertheless, Gleeson is a great example to use in this conversation surrounding retaining talent and OS because he is a rising talent, putting himself in the spotlight with his early season stellar form.
But let’s be clear about some facts before we go on, Gleeson is having a great early season for the Tahs, he was not a regular starter for the Wallabies last season, and his club form over the past 12-months has been mixed.
Gleeson is a blindside flanker and no.8, who is competing against Waratahs teammate Rob Leota, Queensland Reds’ trio Harry Wilson, Liam Wright, Seru Uru,
Brumbies’ Charlie Cale, Rob Valetini, and Western Force’s Nick Champion de Crespigny.
Two of those were Wallabies captains last year, one of them is the current John Eales medallist, and in Champion de Crespigny’s sake, there’s a new, experienced enforcer on the block.
Wilson and Valetini have already signed through to and past the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
While Gleeson’s ability to accelerate into contact is second to none, he is nevertheless only 23-years-old, and two years in France will be great for his development.
Another departing player with a similar profile is 24-year-old Brumby, Tom Hooper, who has also signed for the Exeter club, for the 2025/26 season.
Reports suggest the young versatile forward was offered ‘roughly double’ what RA and the Brumbies offered.
Playing predominantly No.6 and second row, a season in the premiership will be great for his tight-five skills and work ethic.
However, put plainly, Hooper had a pretty average 2024 season for both club and country, and hence only featured a few times in Wallaby gold under Schmidt.
He much like Gleeson is having a great start to the 2025 SRP season, really throwing his weight around, particularly in his carries, but he is starting the year a long way down the Wallabies pecking order for the Lions.
The reason why these two players have been highlighted is because they are the perfect examples of when it is ok to allow players to explore lucrative, short-term stints overseas.
And it’s only ‘ok’ because of the current domestic talent pool, and while not everyone is signed and sealed, the positive energy and results in SRP on the eve of a Lions tour and on the doorstep of a home Rugby World Cup is a good place to be, if you are RA.
Similarly, the young pair of forwards both have 10 or more Test caps, so can’t be poached by other nations unless clubs invest heavily in them for several years, and they are well below the peak ages of their positions.
RA are not ‘letting them slip through their fingers’, it’s a calculated risk, because of course there is an element of risk, but it’s a small one.
Now, retracing our steps on how this relates to overseas selection; if OS was open slather, Schmidt could pick both these young guns, as well as McReight, no questions asked.
However, due to RA’s and seemingly Schmidt’s policy as well, there is a plethora of domestic talent staying at least for the Lions series, to be able to pass on the two young bucks.
This is why the OS conversation has only been tangentially raised this year as opposed to being the centre of rugby discussion in Australia.
While McReight would almost certainly be a Giteau law pick should he decided to leave, the only other OS pick being bandied about with any real conviction is Will Skelton.
There’s barely been any mention of the need of a Marika Koroibete, and no mention of flyhalves Bernard Foley or Quade Cooper.
Meanwhile, conversations around Samu Kerevi have been centred around ‘if’ not ‘when’ he will be recalled to the national squad.
The strength of the four Aussie teams, the convincing performances from key and fringe Wallabies, as well as the unearthing of some potential bolters, has meant the mood in Australia is quietly confident that they have the men to test the Lions during the series.
This is not to say the Wallabies are beyond the need of OS picks, but the conversation has shifted from the need to increase the number of picks, to who truly deserves to be chosen.
While things are looking good now, there are still some things which could throw the current climate into a frenzy; like the announcement of Schmidt’s successor, or another marquee Wallaby signing overseas.
However, the general mood currently; is a fair reflection of the strength of the SRP sides and humble, yet growing confidence in Australian based talent for the Lions series.
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If the players are experienced, playing in a top team in a top league then maybe but honestly there’s not many who are better than the average player in the league’s they are in. Gleeson is a mile off Wilson and Valentini in quantity and quality of work and skills. Maybe he’ll come back a better player but maybe he’ll get busted playing the number of games against big bodies. Super Rugby is much improved this year and starting to find itself and it’s identity again.