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Joe Schmidt: 'I'm not sure how much respect we've been shown'
By Ian Cameron
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has questioned whether his side is being taken seriously ahead of Saturday’s first Test against the British & Irish Lions in Brisbane.
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Nick Champion de Crespigny will make his Test debut, selected in the back row following injuries to Rob Valetini and Langi Gleeson. The 27-year-old returned from a Top 14 stint with Castres to play for the Western Force this season and has jumped the queue after former skipper Liam Wright was also ruled out.
Schmidt has left Will Skelton out of the match-day 23, with the lock still managing a calf issue. In a significant call at flyhalf, Tom Lynagh has been named to start, forming a new halves combination with Jake Gordon. Ben Donaldson is on the bench, with no recall for James O’Connor, who played in all three Tests against the Lions in 2013.
Schmidt was queried about respect had been shown to his side, who are heavy underdogs going into the first Test at Suncorp.
“I don’t know how much respect we’ve been shown [in the media],” Schmidt said after naming his team. “What I would say is we’ve been working hard. The respect we are trying to earn is from our supporters and the people who turn up to support us and [we want] to demonstrate to them that their support is really appreciated by us.
“We’re doing everything we can do earn it during that 80 minutes.”
Lynagh will become the first son of a former Wallaby to play against the Lions, following in the footsteps of his father Michael, who wore the No.10 in 1989. The 22-year-old hasn’t played since the Reds’ Super Rugby quarter-final in early June due to a broken hand.
Matt Faessler returns at hooker after missing the Fiji Test, while Andrew Kellaway comes onto the bench in place of Filipo Daugunu. Also named among the replacements are Tate McDermott, Billy Pollard, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper and Carlo Tizzano.
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James Slipper joins George Smith as the only Wallabies to play in two Lions series in the professional era. Harry Wilson retains the captaincy.