Schmidt accepts Wallabies need more selection certainty in key position

The Wallabies are adamant they have time to settle on a preferred No.10 as the countdown to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia begins in earnest.

Coach Joe Schmidt used five different starters at flyhalf in 2025, plus two more off the bench, as the Wallabies lost 10 Tests in a calendar year for the first time ever.

The playmaking merry-go-round often led to a spluttering attack, especially on the disastrous season-ending spring tour when the Wallabies also endured the first four-Test sojourn to Europe since 1958.

After losing first-choice 10 Noah Lolesio, firstly to injury then to Japan, Schmidt turned to Tom Lynagh during the British and Irish Lions series before firing off an SOS call to veteran James O’Connor to steer the Wallabies around for much of the Rugby Championship.

After omitting O’Connor for the spring tour, he drafted the 36-year-old back in only to dump him again following a crushing loss to Ireland in Dublin.

And after spending much of the Super Rugby Pacific season on the outer at the NSW Waratahs, Tane Edmed suddenly found himself as Schmidt’s go-to five-eighth in Europe.

Until Carter Gordon became the coach’s new man after returning to rugby following an ill-fated stint in the NRL with the Gold Coast Titans.

Ben Donaldson and Hamish Stewart also featured off the bench this year, leaving fans with little idea who will be Australia’s playmaker at the first World Cup on home soil since the Wallabies lost a heartbreaking final to England in extra time in 2003.

Schmidt, who will hand over the reins to Les Kiss next July, giving the Queenslander little more than a year to ready the Wallabies for the global showpiece, accepts the uncertainty is an issue.

“I do think the 10 is such a hub for what you’re looking to achieve,” the New Zealander said after the Wallabies were drawn in the same pool as the mighty All Blacks for the first time in World Cup history.

“They run so much of the game, they are the game driver and that was one of the frustrations probably with Carter coming in.

“He picked up that (quad) injury and then, kind of the last play of the Thursday, before we played France, he pulled up a little bit lame.

“We were hoping that he might get through and be able to do the captain’s run, but when that wasn’t the case.

“Tane came in and Tane has made good strides and James O’Connor has really helped Tane. They’ve been a lot of time in South Africa together.

“There are other guys. Obviously we started the Lions series with Tom Lynagh and Tom did really well but, again, picked up injuries.

“We know that Ben Donaldson’s a good player as well.

“So we’re going to be watching closely and how things go through Super Rugby, but some consistency at 10 will help, without a doubt.

“We feel we’ve got some options, just none of them with massive experience.”

Unlike their trans-Tasman rivals.

Schmidt suspects the All Blacks will again deploy veterans Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie to the 2027 World Cup.

“That’s well over 200 Tests between them,” Schmidt noted.

“So that’s a difference. It doesn’t have to be an advantage if we’ve had the time to really develop someone in that position.”