Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will come up against a familiar face or two when the Wallabies play Italy in Florence on Saturday (midnight AEST).
He’ll know fellow New Zealander Kieran Crowley, the highly experienced head coach, and he’ll know the latest addition to the Italian coaching set-up particularly well.
Neil Barnes, who worked with Rennie at the Chiefs, has quietly joined the Italian coaching team as consulente per maul e drive, and the straight-talking Taranaki dairy farmer will no doubt be working overtime on an area where the Wallabies are developing into a world-class unit.
The chances, therefore, of the Wallabies coaches taking Italy lightly are less than zero. In fact, while the Wallabies’ team selection has been painted as risky and bold with 11 changes to the starting XV from the French Test, Rennie has shown his hand by picking Noah Lolesio (15 caps) to start at five-eighth over Ben Donaldson (none). Relative experienced has won the day at No.10.
It’s an opportunity lost to see if Donaldson could really kick on from his promising Australia A performances, and the opportunities to promote a new playmaker are drying up fast before next year’s Rugby World Cup.
With his Waratahs halfback Jake Gordon at No.9, the Florence Test looked like the perfect chance to see what the Wallabies’ shape would look like with a bigger man at No.10, a bloke who can genuinely challenge the line.
Noah Lolesio during Australia’s 24-8 loss to the Springboks at Allianz Stadium in September.Credit:AP
This type of No.10 is something of a rarity these days, but they do offer something different. Look at the Wallabies-Scotland test for example. While Blair Kinghorn — a tall, converted fullback — will be remembered for missing that late penalty, his try and some of his general play pointed to the advantages of his selection. He’s a player to watch.
Lolesio gets the start against Italy and their promising No.10 Paolo Garbisi, but the way Australia have used him again on this tour so far reflects the green light-red light signals he has received for most of his young Wallabies career.
He saw six minutes off the bench against Scotland, and wasn’t included in the 23 against France. He’s actually pretty short of rugby — Donaldson has more recent minutes by virtue of the Australia A tour of Japan last month, when he started in two of the three games.
Lolesio will also surely know that Bernard Foley’s return to the Wallabies has put a question mark over his hopes of making the Rugby World Cup squad next year.
Bernard Foley’s return to the Wallaby fray has also clouded Lolesio’s future.Credit:Getty
Foley is a lock for that tournament now, after his controlled and composed performance against France in Paris almost guided the Wallabies to a significant win. Should Quade Cooper return to fitness next year, Foley and Cooper will be favourites to make the Wallabies’ squad. Even if Cooper doesn’t, James O’Connor may come back into the reckoning if he gets his body right.
Lolesio is in the unfortunate position of being squeezed by veterans on one side and Donaldson on the other. This is an enormous test for him against a side that upset the quality of the All Blacks’ ball for sustained periods in their Test in Rome last year. As a result, No.10 Richie Mo’unga had a disjointed match.
As for Donaldson, he has some qualities that look more and more appealing every time he plays. He impressed against the Japan XV with his ability to identify space and kicking game, but his unique selling point is his size and running game.
He could easily develop into a player who covers No.10 and No.15 off the bench, an important distinction between him and the other No.10s, particularly as Reece Hodge took a wee backward step last week.
Perhaps the plan is to give Donaldson the keys to the attack against Wales in the final Test of the tour, when Foley will be unavailable. Having come through the Australia A audition against Tane Edmed, he’s certainly earned a crack.
This Wallabies’ back line against Italy has a bit to like about it. Mark Nawaqanitawase and Jock Campbell are good footballers, and of the currently fit No.13s in world rugby, Len Ikitau only has company from Ireland’s Garry Ringrose at the top of the list. So, the ammunition has been loaded — but the Wallabies haven’t quite pulled the trigger at No.10.
