The will he, won’t he wait about Joe Schmidt’s future continues, and for once in Australian rugby, grapevine clues are scarce.
It wasn’t raised openly but many players at the Wallabies’ camp in early January left with the impression Schmidt would not be going past the British and Irish Lions series. Interviews with chief executive Phil Waugh since have also been opaque, and fuelled the talk RA are now working on keeping Schmidt in the tent with an oversight role.
But Waugh has also come to pride himself on keeping things in-house, so every day brings a new angle. What appears to be lack of action on a replacement (for a job that would start in August) has some officials tipping there’ll be news soon that Schmidt will coach on to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and the radio silence is more to do with the Kiwi setting himself a premature public deadline, and his intensely private nature.
But in contrast to the dithering about the future, a firm decision made by Schmidt over the Christmas break has opened up a potential issue for achieving success next up, in the Lions tour.
When backrower Langi Gleeson informed RA in early January he had signed for Montpellier for 2026, he was uninvited from the Wallabies’ camp. Charlie Cale took his spot.
Schmidt informed Gleeson he had to be consistent on the stance he’d taken last year, when he didn’t select league-bound pair Mark Nawaqanitawase and Carter Gordon, and others who also wouldn’t be available for the Lions series in 2025; including Izzy Perese, Ned Hanigan and Lachie Swinton.
With only 14 Tests to build a team, Schmidt’s logic seemed sound enough – then. But after selecting Gleeson on the bench for nine of those Tests, the logic of continuing the Lions exclusion this year begins to strain.
There’s a case that Gleeson is replaceable on the bench, as one of a number of good backrowers doing the rounds. Cale was in the Wallabies squad before he was injured.
Joe Schmidt back in Sydney for Wallabies camp in January.Credit: Rugby Australia
But there is a Pandora’s Box element for Schmidt to now consider, too.
There are multiple Wallabies starters who are off contract, and who Schmidt relied on heavily last year. And will rely on heavily for the Lions series, too. Think Nick Frost, Fraser McReight, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon, Tom Wright, Taniela Tupou.
But if Noah Lolesio, for example, decided to play in Japan next year and announced it in May, what would Schmidt do? He pushed his chips in on Lolesio last year and started him in 11 Tests.
Would Schmidt put a line through him too? Could he afford to? Could he do without any of the starters above? You’d think not.
What about a bench player in a shallow position, like off-contract lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto?
The other rationale for such a hard line is using the Wallabies jersey as leverage to keep players in Australia, but some of those players can point out they turned down overseas offers last contract, to commit to Australia in 2025 for the Lions tour.
Suaalii shaping as a fullback in Waratahs debut
The Waratahs got into action with a big win in their first trial on Saturday, overpowering a NSW Pasifica side 73-5 in a largely one-sided hit out at Eric Tweedale Stadium in Granville.
Familar faces like Tom Lambert, Teddy Wilson, Joey Walton and Triston Reilly all impressed, but so too did new recruit Henry O’Donnell at centre, and no.8 Clem Halaholo and lock Felix Kalapu were busy in the pack.
Coach Dan McKellar was happy enough; there were no injuries and with many big names to return this week, it was a more a gauge on the Waratahs’ depth.
The Tahs will roll out Wallabies and Rebels recruits this week against the Brumbies in Bowral. The street-corner tip is Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been training at fullback for NSW, which would see Max Jorgensen move to a wing. The Tahs have good midfield options in Lalakai Foketi, Walton and O’Donnell.
Sydney to play host for 2027 World Cup final
The host cities for the 2027 Rugby World Cup will be revealed later this week in Sydney, which gives up the poorly-held secret that Accor Stadium will host the final and two semi-finals, as it did in 2003.
Perth’s Optus Stadium bid for the final too but it will host the opening game instead, and may host some quarter-finals, too. Early on, the Victorian government pushed hard for the MCG to host the final and semis, but after an initial bid that was lower than NSW’s anyway, the Vics withdrew altogether. Politically, it was tied to the Rebels exit but more to do with a cut-back on major event spending.
The folly of having no games at all was recently realised, however, and the Victorian government has been in 11th-hour talks with World Rugby about salvaging a deal to play some pool games and possibly two quarter-finals. Whether it’s too late remains to be seen – early last week no deal had been reached, and other states were keen to take extra games.
There will be games all over Australia, but it appears Canberra won’t have any, with the ACT government electing to not submit a bid.
