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As Joseph Suaalii readies to meet his new teammates, Tane Edmed is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of pulling on the Wallabies jersey for the first time after being asked to join a training hub in Canberra next week.
Despite Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt using just three fly-halves in 2024 – Noah Lolesio, Ben Donaldson and rookie Tom Lynagh – it’s believed the New Zealander is getting closer to making a tweak and naming Edmed in his preferred three candidates.
It comes after nine Tests of discovery for Schmidt, with the experienced coach heading back to the Northern Hemisphere with a 4-5 win-loss record.
Although Lolesio has started in seven of the nine Tests this year, none of the candidates, especially Donaldson and Lynagh, who have received limited minutes, are locked and loaded to take on the British and Irish Lions next year.
Waratahs playmaker Tane Edmed is firming for a Wallabies call up after a successful stint across the ditch in the NPC. (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)
With next month’s tour the last chance for Schmidt to get a close look at a different playmaker, it’s believed he is ready to give the uncapped Edmed a chance to push his selection case.
As many as 70 players of national interest will be asked to pull the boots back on next week ahead of next month’s tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
One group will train in Canberra on Monday and Tuesday, with a second group, including Force players, getting together in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Schmidt will ultimately settle on a 34-man touring party for the Wallabies’ four end-of-year Tests, which gets underway against England on November 10 (AEDT). A further 30 will travel to England for two tour matches – against Bristol and England A.
With almost half of the fully professional Super Rugby players asked to train there aren’t expected to be many selection surprises when Schmidt eventually settles on his list on October 21.
Emerging tight-head prop Massimo De Lutiis is expected to be one of the new figures to train, but the 20-year-old Junior Wallabies prop, whose absence at the pointy end of the competition in 2023 cruelled their hopes, isn’t likely to be asked to pull on the Wallabies jersey anytime soon.
Others like Harry Potter, who made an eye-catching return against the Cheetahs last week, is another expected to cross the Nullarbor next week to train in Brisbane as part of a strong contingent of Western Force players. Force recruit Nick Champion de Crespigny might have to push his case early next year in Super Rugby.
Another who is expected to join the Wallabies in the United Kingdom is giant lock Will Skelton, who led the nation at last year’s World Cup but only featured in their first-up win over Georgia after suffering a calf injury.
The experienced Wallaby isn’t expected to feature in all four Tests but could be up and running by the time Schmidt’s touring party arrives in Cardiff to take on Wales.
Fellow foreign-based star Samu Kerevi’s place in the squad is expected to be considered over the next week.
Samu Kerevi is expected to be strongly discussed over the coming days as Joe Schmidt considers his touring party for the Wallabies’ November Tests. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Kerevi, who has featured prominently in the past two World Cup campaigns, was asked at the last minute if he would feature at stages throughout The Rugby Championship but didn’t think he was in the best shape to perform.
But after another month of training, the 31-year-old could still feature on the tour.
After a quieter World Cup campaign than expected, which was likely impacted by an injury-disrupted build up, Schmidt desperately wants to see whether the midfielder can still cut it on the international stage to see whether he could still feature in his Lions plans.
Another experienced player set to join Schmidt’s training group for the first time is Dave Porecki, whose season was cruelled by injuries.
But it’s believed he won’t tour because he has twins on the way.
He isn’t alone in expecting a child, with centre Hunter Paisami likely to have to leave the tour early because of the impending arrival of his second baby.
Suaalii, whose mouth-watering multi-million-dollar contract continues to raise eyebrows, especially after the revelation that Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh helped sign off on a three-year deal that has another two years in his favour, is still very much in the mix to debut for the Wallabies this year.
Although he could feature for the Australian XV, he could be one of a handful of players to debut next month. Already 16 players have been given caps under Schmidt in 2024.
It’s believed Schmidt is strongly considering Suaalii at either outside centre or fullback.
Joe Schmidt will call upon up to half of Australia’s Super Rugby contracted players over the next six weeks. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Edmed, 24, is match fit and coming off his first season in the National Provincial Championship across the ditch where he assembled quite the highlights reel.
While it’s commonly accepted that the international stage is several steps higher than the NPC, more and more think Edmed could be a late bolter for next year’s Lions series given his ability to at least command a game from fly-half.
For Edmed, who lost out to Ben Donaldson for a place in Dave Rennie’s touring party in 2022, it could be the case that his time in the sun comes two years later.
