'It’s a mental thing': Joe Schmidt on the Wallabies' flyhalf issues

The Wallabies are no closer to finding their long-term No 10 after the July series with head coach Joe Schmidt admitting they will have to “think about it”.

Brumbies pivot Noah Lolesio was handed the starting role against Wales in first Test, with Reds flyhalf Tom Lynagh debuting off the bench. Lolesio led the Wallabies to a win in the second Test with Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson getting a run as deputy.

Against Georgia, Donaldson was handed a start with Lolesio coming in late for the final eight minutes, but he was not convincing.

The head coach pinpointed the kicking as an issue with their play after the 40-29 win over Georgia with a number of kicks to the line not finding touch.

“That is definitely one that we’re going to have to look back and have a think about,” Schmidt said.

“Both guys who played tonight, and Tom Lynagh, the three guys, they are working hard. For them, there’s a lot of expectation because they tend to drive the game.They have a pretty busy week.

“One of the things as coaches, our responsibility is to lighten their week so they can get their skill repetitions in, because it’s probably some of those smaller skills.

“There were a few kicks tonight that we know can be better. We’ve seen them kick them better and hopefully that will be demonstrated in three weeks’ time.”

On why the kicking execution is below par, Schmidt believed it was a “mental” problem as opposed to an ability problem.

He said they have a lot on their plate, in terms of driving the team around, which might be impacting their focus when called upon to execute a core kill.

“I do think it’s a mental thing,” he elaborated, “There’s a lot being asked of the 10s at the moment and I do think that they’ll have the opportunity to improve when they can be clearer.

“It’s a little bit cluttered for them at the moment because they drive the team around, they’re trying to make decisions on the fly and then also execute their skill.

“I thought as the game went on, Ben Donaldson kicked better and better, kicked better at goal, kicked better for the line.

“And Noah probably just tried to take a little bit too much out of the one that he put dead in goal. So I encourage them to go into that five-metre channel.”

Noah Lolesio is the most experienced of the three current 10s in the squad, with the 24-year-old holding 11 Test caps.

The flyhalf was introduced to Test rugby by former Wallaby head coach Dave Rennie, starting on and off with Quade Cooper back leading the side, but was let go under Eddie Jones in 2023 ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Jones backed Rebels young playmaker Carter Gordon at the showpiece event last year but the 23-year-old has signed with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL, ending his short Wallaby career.

Ben Donaldson was used by Jones as a fullback and the 25-year-old now has seven caps. Reds’ flyhalf Tom Lynagh is the youngest of the three at just 21-years-old.

The most experienced option playing in Austrlaia for Joe Schmidt is James O’Connor, with the veteran returning to action with the Reds against Wales on Friday night.

Whilst Schmidt was impressed with the way O’Connor returned to action, the three 10s in the squad “all had good Super Rugby seasons”.

“It is a step up, it’s definitely… there’s less space to breathe, but it’s all new to them as well,” Schmidt said.

“Noah has a rhythm from being at the Brumbies for quite a long time. Ben Donaldson, when you talk to him, he had Nic White and Kurtley Beale. He was free to play.

“We need to help those 10s be as good as they can be.

“Tom’s had the least time with a bit of a hamstring issue, but those three guys, if we don’t invest in them now, it’ll be difficult for them.

“If you put them in and out, they don’t get continuity, they don’t build confidence.”