Joe Schmidt teases return of overseas-based Wallabies after England loss

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt says overseas-based pair Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper are “not far away” from returning to the Test arena, after a host of players were ruled out of Saturday’s 25-7 Autumn Nations Series defeat to England.

Australia’s PREM Rugby trio of Ikitau, Hooper and James O’Connor were not made available for the Test at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, with the fixture falling outside of World Rugby’s three-week international window.

Ikitau received the prestigious John Eales Medal at the Rugby Australia Awards last month in Sydney, which goes to the best and most consistent Wallaby from the last 12 months – having starred in the midfield alongside Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who was named Rookie of the Year.

The 27-year-old has since made the move up north after signing with Exeter Chiefs on sabbatical with Rugby Australia. Hooper has also joined the Chiefs, less than three months on from the backrower’s Player of the Match performance against the British & Irish Lions.

Following the Wallabies’ 18-point loss to England, Schmidt confirmed selection decisions will be made in the coming days, as the men in gold look to bounce back in a crucial Autumn Nations Series Test away to Italy.

“Post this evening, we’ll make some firmer decisions on those players,” Schmidt told reporters post-game.

“Len and Tom Hooper were both at the game today, in with the team so they’re not far away.

“I think James is on holiday but he is coming back from holiday. He played a lot during the Lions, TRC, straight into Leicester so for him to get a break was the best thing.”

The Wallabies have since issued a squad update, revealing Ikitau and Hooper will both travel with the group to Udine for the Italy Test.

England fly-half George Ford opened the scoring against the Wallabies with a successful shot at goal midway through the first term. Backrower Ben Earl crossed for a try soon after, with Ford adding the extras.

Wallabies winger Harry Potter picked off a pass before racing about 95 metres to the house for a much-needed score deep into the half. It was a three-point game at the break, but England’s bench proved to be a difference-maker during the second 40.

Replacements Henry Pollock and Luke Cowan-Dickie scored a try each as the home side piled on 15 unanswered points. That was the Wallabies 12^th Test of an action-packed year, with another three matches still to play before their season draws to a close.

“All we can do is try to freshen players from week to week. Obviously you get a little bit of attrition from week to week with a few guys picking up injuries and not being available,” Schmidt explained.

“We don’t want to make excuses. England were very, very good tonight… the intensity of their aerial chase, the intensity of their breakdown and their ball carry.

“The bench that they brought on, I think six British & Irish Lions off the bench, that strength and depth – that’s something that we’re trying to build in Australia but that takes a bit of time. Without some guys today, that’s a great opportunity for some of those other players to get that experience.

“Tane Edmed for example, I thought he acquitted himself really well in moments of the game and then probably will learn some things from the game and that learning is what you’re investing in players for the future.

“Well get something out of the game. I know the dressing room’s disappointed, Harry [Wilson’s] disappointed, we all are, but there are two things that probably stick out to me is that we didn’t give up, we kept trying.

“It wasn’t like we were utterly outplayed but in the moments of the game I felt they dominated us and there’ll be learnings in that for us.”