Schmidt’s reinforcements inject right kind of pressure into Wallabies

Joe Schmidt has unveiled his last Wallabies squad for 2024, and the feeling across the board is this is a reinforced, reinvigorated group.

Apart from the five brand new faces in the squad, it’s clear to see who Schmidt has faith in and where he sees the need for some healthy competition to lift the tide.

Schmidt is carrying on his trend of calling-up uncapped players with three potential debutants, Joseph Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Harry Potter, and Tane Edmed.

The headline selection is of course Sua’ali’i, and by bypassing the Australia XV squad there is a very real chance he will debut in Wallaby gold in the coming weeks.

Schmidt has made it clear Sua’ali’i is very much part of the plan moving forward into the British and Irish Lions series and the coach feels that by having him part of the Wallabies program now, gives him the best chance to succeed down the line.

Edmed’s inclusion seemed to be written in the stars, courtesy of his great form in the NPC after a tough season at the NSW Waratahs.

However, Potter’s inclusion seems to have come from the clouds despite Schmidt noting that Potter was earmarked in April after a good start in Super Rugby Pacific, but his season appeared all but derailed when injury struck.

Upon his return, Potter impressed equally when the Western Force had their recent tour of South Africa, where he played a key role in games against the Cheetahs and Emerging Ireland.

Many saw him as a definite inclusion in the Australia XV group, but few saw him skyrocketing into the Wallabies.

Other than the three rookies, there are the two overseas heavyweights; Will Skelton and Samu Kerevi.

Skelton’s inclusion was firming up whereas the notions surrounding Kerevi were less certain, nevertheless, the pair’s inclusion adds experience to a side which is building.

A lock, a flyhalf, a centre and two utility backs, this list makes it clear where Schmidt sees the need for reinforcement and competition to get the best out of his entire squad.

Selection, however, is a two-sided coin, picking these five players means the omission of others.

Josh Flook, Tom Hooper, Tom Lynagh, Josh Nasser, Hamish Stewert, and Corey Toole have all been relegated to Australia XV.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

3

Draws

0

Wins

2

Average Points scored

27

23

First try wins

40%

Home team wins

40%

Schmidt has said this move is about getting these players game time, but it is difficult to ignore the feeling that they haven’t been able to show enough on the training paddock to convince Schmidt of their impact in the team.

Only Flook, Lynagh, Nasser and Stewart have seen decent game time under Schmidt while Toole remained the only uncapped player, nonetheless, it appears none have stood out to Schmidt yet.

However, competition in the XV’s camp will be fierce as Schmidt is reportedly looking to add two players from Australia XV to the Wallabies campaign after their two-game tour.

Nevertheless, they are now on the backfoot as Schmidt has cast his net wide in a bid to quickly find players with the right skills and attributes to add impact at Test level, hence the new inclusions.

Starting up front, the second-row stocks have been outmuscled at times and Skelton with his experience and raw size will help to rectify this against the physical northern hemisphere packs.

Skelton’s inclusion gives Schmidt flexibility on how he uses players like Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Jeremy Williams and whether he sees them being options to play the role of a more physical blindside flanker.

This also puts pressure on the likes of Harry Wilson as Schmidt was cagey about who he would select as captain.

Wilson has put out some impressive workrate figures but his gainline numbers have not been as high as the Wallabies have needed, another stat which Skelton can help with.

Next is Edmed at flyhalf, his direct playing style and solid build will hopefully encourage incumbents Noah Lolesio and Ben Donaldson to flatten up in attack.

Lolesio has had the lion’s share of the minutes and grew throughout the Rugby Championship, but both young playmakers have a habit of not getting involved enough in the critical moments.

Edmed is coming in full of confidence from his stint in New Zealand’s NPC and along with Lolesio’s continuity, it bodes well for more confidence and involvement in the player who will don the no.10 jersey.

Finally, there’s Kerevi, Potter, and Sua’ali’i, all three could play in the centres and the latter two could play anywhere in the back three.

Flook, Stewart, and Toole are the three direct competitors which have dropped out. It’s clear to see the new inclusions offer more experience, bulk, and X-factor. For these reasons, they can apply more pressure on the Wallaby incumbents.

In the centres, Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau are a settled combination but Kerevi would increase their overall weight and height by 10kgs and 9cm if he were to slot in at no.12.

Likewise, Sua’ali’i would similarly boost the overall size profile of the centres, the thoughts do wander, imagining a Kerevi-Sua’ali’i axis in the midfield.

The Wallabies need more gainline carriers in the backline, should these two players feature, it is something they must bring to the side.

Potter is more of a similar build to Ikitau and Paisami however his game nous is elite and was on full display in South Africa.

His running lines sliced the backlines to ribbons and his supporting lines were impeccable, regularly providing the last passing option needed to turn a half-break into points.

Conversion in the 22m is something the Wallabies have been struggling with and Potter’s skillset would definitely help.

While Paisami and Ikitau have been solid, they have not been at their best. This trend is similar across all these positions, they have been good, passable, but the entire team needs to go to another level if they wish to clinch some wins on this grand slam tour.

Not to mention if they wish to see success against the Lions next year, the form, skills and connections must be on display now.

None of these players, except perhaps Skelton, are a guaranteed starter but being part of a squad is about preparing each other, fixing shortcomings and rounding out each other’s games so that the matchday squad are ready for anything.

It’s an exciting squad, it’s an exciting time to be a Wallaby supporter with a smorgasbord of exciting fixtures ahead, starting with England on November 9 at Twickenham.