Len Ikitau: Joe Schmidt ‘saved a couple of boys’ careers’

Before Joe Schmidt coached a Test for the Wallabies, the world-renowned rugby guru spoke with Len Ikitau’s manager. “He said that I wasn’t in the squad at the moment,” Ikitau reflected – it was that brutal honesty from Schmidt that “saved a couple of boys’ careers.”

Ikitau had been injured against Los Pumas during the 2023 Rugby Championship, which led then-coach Eddie Jones to famously overlook the centre for the Rugby World Cup in France. It was an inexperienced Wallabies squad that went to the event, with a number of big name omissions.

Harry Wilson was another talent who missed out on selection in that squad, having not played for the national team since a defeat to the All Blacks on September 24, 2022. Two years on from the World Cup, Wilson has emerged as an inspirational captain for the Wallabies.

Wilson has been the regular Wallabies skipper for more than a year now, captaining the team in all three Tests against the British & Irish Lions about four months ago, and unforgettable comeback wins over the Springboks and Los Pumas in this year’s Rugby Championship.

As Ikitau explained this week, Wilson has “transformed” under Schmidt from a fringe Wallaby into Australia’s captain. Wilson’s success was just one example that Ikitau used, who himself was recently crowned the John Eales Medal winner as the Wallabies’ best player,

“Every game we want to play for our coaches, we want to play for our country, so it’s no different this week,” Ikitau explained.

“Joe’s been massive for us, like honestly, a lot of the boys in this group went to a World Cup and some boys didn’t get to go to a World Cup. I think he’s kind of saved a couple of boys’ careers.

“All we want to do is give back to Joe and what better way to do that and put in a good performance on Saturday.”

Ikitau was crowned the John Eales Medallist at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney last month, completing the midfielder’s own remarkable rise from World Cup non-selection to the most prestigious individual award a Wallaby can receive.

But the 27-year-old wasn’t there to collect the prize.

Along with Wallabies teammate Tom Hooper, Ikitau has joined English Premiership club Exeter Chiefs. That saw the Chiefs duo miss the first two Tests of the Wallabies’ Spring Tour, which fell outside of World Rugby’s international three-week window.

Australia defeated Jones’ Japan by four points in Tokyo before falling to England 25-7 at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. They were beaten the following week as well, losing to a valiant Italy side 26-19 in Udine.

Ikitau had been called into the squad but wasn’t selected, with Schmidt going with the midfield pairing of Hunter Paisami and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. But after another week in camp, Ikitau “should be up for selection” to face Ireland in Dublin.

“It was obviously disappointing with the results but for me it was just good to be back in the group, be back with the boys” Ikitau explained.

“Overall, it’s just good to be back with the Wallabies.

“Just with combinations, I think Hunter [Paisami] and Joseph [Suaalii] were going well and obviously it was my first week back in so I don’t think Joe wanted me to play.”