Privilege and pressure: What it means to wear the Wallabies’ No. 10

Imagine what it must be like to start at fly-half for the Wallabies, All Blacks, or any other nation playing Test rugby. Running out onto a field with the No. 10 on your back, as thousands watch your every move from the stands, it’s a heavy sense of pressure and responsibility.

Noah Lolesio has held that privilege on 24 occasions at Test level, while also being called upon to come off the bench in another five matches. Lolesio first started a Test for the Wallabies on October 31, 2020, lining up opposite Richie Mo’unga in a Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney.

At just 20 years of age, Lolesio scored Australia’s only try of that Test, as New Zealand ran away with a commanding 43-5 triumph at Stadium Australia. Dave Rennie coached the Wallabies at the time, later succeeded by Eddie Jones, who Joe Schmidt replaced in early 2024.

While Lolesio was overlooked by Jones for selection ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with the playmaker signing a ‘joker’ deal with Top 14 juggernauts Toulon instead, he has since returned to the national setup as the Wallabies’ first-choice No. 10.

Lolesio started all but one Test for the Wallabies under coach Schmidt in 2024, named to come off the pine against Georgia. There were moments of brilliance from Lolesio that season, but the fly-half also came under fire, as a perceived lack of consistency became a hot topic of discussion.

“It’s a heavy load, mate. It’s hard to explain,” Lolesio told RugbyPass.

“It’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. When I debuted, 20-year-old against the All Blacks, a stacked All Blacks side, I learned real quick that, well for me what I found is that it’s all mental. You could be the most skilful person, the most athletic person but in the international arena, in my opinion, mentally you’ve just got to be switched on in every single moment of the game.

“In regards to pressure and doing the right thing and the wrong thing, you can’t really read into that kind of stuff. Again, I learnt that at a real young age, obviously thrown straight in there.

“They put you on a pedestal and then one bad thing you do, they knock you down straight away. It was hard for me to adjust at a real young age, especially in that Wallaby 10 jersey, it’s a real privilege with the pressure, it’s also a privilege to wear it as well.”

Lolesio played at least 70 minutes in all four Tests during the Wallabies’  Spring Tour last year, proving without any doubt that the New Zealand-born talent was Australia’s leading option at fly-half about eight months out from the highly anticipated Lions Series.

With the British & Irish Lions mere weeks away from touring Australia for the first time in 12 years, Lolesio still seems like a strong candidate to line up at No. 10 during that Test series, but the 25-year-old’s position is far from guaranteed.

Lolesio has signed a short-term deal in Japan, and with coach Schmidt tending to overlook overseas-based players in 2024, that potentially puts the pivot’s spot at risk. But, after guiding the ACT Brumbies to the Super Rugby Pacific semis, Lolesio remains a leading candidate.

“Especially last year, every time I wore the jersey I just tried to do my best for the team, for myself, my family and for the country,” Lolesio added.

“It is a lot but at the same time, it is such a privilege and an honour to wear that jersey because only a few people in the world have been part of that Wallaby family.

“I’m just super grateful that I’ve worn it. I’ve got like 29 caps now and I wouldn’t have it any other way so far.

“It does come with a lot of responsibility wearing that jersey but at the same time, it’s a huge privilege as well.”