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Wallabies 'uninvite' Langi Gleeson after French club deal – report
By Liam Heagney
Waratahs back-rower Langi Gleeson has reportedly paid an immediate price for agreeing to switch to the French Top 14 later this year, with Rugby Australia excluding him this week’s three-day camp in Sydney. The 14-cap 23-year-old featured off the bench in all four of his country’s recent Autumn Nations Series matches in the UK and Ireland.
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He was then named in the 40-strong Wallabies squad for the Olympic Park assembly that has kick-started the build-up to the incoming British and Irish Lions tour. However, he was suddenly uninvited after it emerged that he has signed a deal to join Montpellier next season rather than continue to his play club rugby in Australia.
According to The Roar, Joe Schmidt cut loose Gleeson and instead called the Brumbies’ Charlie Cale in for the camp. A report read: “Rugby Australia has sent a ruthless message to anyone thinking of signing overseas that you will rule yourself out of the Lions mixer if you put pen to paper with a foreign club.
“Indeed, The Roar can reveal that days after Langi Gleeson signed with French Top 14 outfit Montpellier, the regular Wallabies back-rower was uninvited to Joe Schmidt’s January camp. It comes after Schmidt named Gleeson in a 40-man squad last month for the three-day camp at Olympic Park, which kicks off their Lions campaign.
“In his place, The Roar can reveal Charlie Cale, the explosive Brumbies back-rower who made his debut against Wales in July but missed the second half of the year due to injury, was invited into camp at the last minute. The decision continues Schmidt’s ruthless approach from 2024, where no player signed to an overseas club or rival NRL beyond the Super Rugby season featured under the New Zealander.”
During Schmidt’s first year in charge of the Wallabies, players such as Izack Rodda, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Carter Gordon, Josh Kemeny and Izaia Perese were all overlooked as soon as it emerged that they would play their club rugby overseas or were code-hopping and switching to the NRL.
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Yes this bitter and twisted mean spirited kiwi coach throwing his weight around in Australia is going to go down real well with the Australian players .......
Actually it should have the opposite effect
The players stating are rewarded for loyalty and a quick decision like this ensures they are under no illusion
Wrong, read any of the local forums, most agree with him, it ain't as if Gleeson is irreplaceable ie Wright, Cale, Loeta, Hooper et al
If he is the best in SR and there are injuries he will get a shot.
Still wasting oxygen little jonny?
A palm to the forehead moment for Langi, giving up an opportunity that might not come around again.
He's still young. He may yet come back to Australia. The Top14 may be a good exercise to improve him as a player, which is a scary prospect given he is pretty handy at this point.
A new hard edge to Wallaby rugby that sorts out who is "all in" versus those in two minds. Razor should take note and forget his push for off-shore selections and infatuation with Mounga.