Aussie playmaker soaking up every minute with ex-All Black coach

NSW Waratahs playmaker Tane Edmed says he’s like a “kid in a candy shop” as he soaks up the opportunity to play and learn from some of New Zealand’s best, including former All Blacks coach Ian Foster.

An AUNZ Invitational XV squad will tackle the might of the British and Irish Lions in Adelaide on Saturday night – the first time the trans-Tasman selection have gathered since 1989.

Edmed is one of 18 Australians in the squad, with several out to push their case for a call-up for the Wallabies in the three-match series against the Lions starting in Brisbane on July 19.

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That includes Test forwards Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Matt Philip and Seru Uru.

With Wallaby coach in-waiting Les Kiss at the helm, the squad has 12 Kiwis including Crusaders captain David Havili, former All Blacks enforcer Shannon Frizell and Test backrower Hoskins Sotutu.

One-Test Edmed hasn’t been in the selection picture so far this year but after being a part of the Waratahs outfit which sent a scare through the Lions in Saturday’s 21-10 defeat, is excited to gain another opportunity against the tourists.

“Getting the chance to come here, meet boys from New Zealand, meet new coaches, new systems – it was really exciting,” Edmed said on Tuesday.

“And then the chance to play the Lions again, and not many people get to do that, so yeah, really special.

“I’m a kid in the candy store at the moment with Fozzy (Foster) and Les (Kiss) and all the coaches, just trying to soak up as much as I can.

A lot of people like (Crusaders captain) Dave Havili … just trying to hang on every word and just learn as much as I can in this week.”

Assistant coach Foster, who finished up with the All Blacks in 2023, said preparation would be more about building bonds between players than working on an intricate game plan.

“Getting to know each other is the main thing, we’re not going to go heavy on organisation as we can only do so much in a short time period,” Foster said.

“It’s the guys just wanting to play for the guy next to them and generating a little bit of that sort of Anzac feel about it.

“We’re putting aside the rivalries and saying ‘let’s do something together’ and it’s not a festival game for us – it’s one that we want to express ourselves, but it’s a real opportunity to play a pretty special team against the Lions and, who knows, achieve something nice.”

Meanwhile, Harry Potter has switched from the Western Force to the Waratahs for the next two Super Rugby Pacific seasons, after signing a contract extension with Rugby Australia.

The Wallabies winger, part of the Test team that pipped Fiji on Sunday, will be available for selection for the next Rugby World Cup, in Australia in 2027.

The Melbourne product has spent the past two seasons with the Western Force after starring with UK club Leicester Tigers.