Joe Schmidt mulling another SOS call as McDermott goes down

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt playfully mulled the idea of sending another SOS to halfback Nic White after another No.9 succumbed to injury.

At Eden Park starting halfback Tate McDermott went down with a leg injury in the first half, forcing debutant Ryan Lonergan to play most of the match. McDermott’s status is uncertain heading into the return Bledisloe.

“Tate appears to have damaged his hamstring, we’ll get something pretty early in the week to determine what degree of damage that is,” Schmidt explained.

Erasmus post match v Argentina

Erasmus post match v Argentina

“We’ll update then, but it doesn’t look great.”

White un-retired after the British & Irish Lions series to help the Wallabies during the Rugby Championship campaign after Jake Gordon went down with injury, featuring four times as they managed to register wins over South Africa and Argentina.

White hung up the boots for what seemed for good after the Sydney Test against Los Pumas, but he travelled with the side to Auckland for the Bledisloe.

“Whitey, he is the gift that keeps on giving. We had Whitey in the changing room during there now, so he’s not too far away,” Schmidt said.

“He lives in Perth and he’s such a good character within the squad.

“I haven’t had any discussion with him, but at the moment I just feel for Tate. His 50th cap, and just got collapsed in that ruck unfortunately.”

Another retirement backflip does seem unlikely with Jake Gordon back with the squad and Lonergan finally getting the nod in the first Bledisloe Test.