If Joe Schmidt was sweating about the fitness of three of his injured stars on the eve of the Lions series, he wasn’t showing it.
Despite halfback Jake Gordon, back-to-back John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini and the side’s only foreign-based player, Will Skelton, being ruled out of the Wallabies’ only hit out before the Lions series against Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday because of injuries, Schmidt was putting on a brave face when he spoke to the media on Friday afternoon.
Asked about the fitness of the missing trio, Schmidt said all three experienced Wallabies, including the two biggest and most physical in the pack, were on track to be up for selection against the Lions for the opening Test in Brisbane on July 19.
“They’re doing great,” Schmidt insisted despite the Wallabies being cagey all week regarding the recent calf injuries picked up by Valetini and Skelton.
“Will and Bobby, they trained well, albeit not with the side, but they’re hitting some good speeds and their movement is good.
“Jake trained with the side today, so he’s very close. If it was the last game of the season and we were desperate to have Jake (we could have played him), but we’ve got Tate [McDermott] and Nic [White] so we’re not desperate around nine anyway.
“I’d be very confident all three of those guys will be ready to train at the start of the week for that first lead-in to the British and Irish Lions’ first test. But for this week, it was probably a week too soon.”
Back-to-back John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini will miss the Wallabies’ first Test of the year against Fiji. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
But there’s being fit and being match fit, and Schmidt will know the difference between the two.
Throw in the fact that combinations need to be forged again and Schmidt will recognise that it’s hardly ideal preparation that all three are missing the Wallabies’ only clash before the Lions series opener.
After all, Schmidt said that part of the reason he gave the No.2 jersey to Dave Porecki, who missed the entire 2024 Test season because of an Achilles injury and the birth of his twins, was because he wanted the Waratahs hooker to familiarise himself with the Brumbies’ props James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa.
“One of the things with Dave Porecki coming back in is we wanted to mix it up a little bit,” Schmidt said.
“He’s scrummed with Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou a fair bit during the season, but to mix it up and get him familiar again with James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa and those combinations.
“It’s almost like speed dating, trying to get these guys together as quickly as we can to try to build some combinations. Front rowers wouldn’t like that reference, would they? Slippery ground.”
Porecki’s return has been questioned in some quarters, but Schmidt said the hooker, who captained the Wallabies in three of their four World Cup fixtures in 2023, was unflappable and his composure was a real strength of his.
“He’s process driven and it will be just another game for him,” Schmidt said.
Joe Schmidt likes Dave Porecki’s level-headed approach. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“He knows a real opportunity for him, so I think he’s worked really hard this week, as have all the players, to try to make the most of that short runway that we’ve got and build some of those combinations as quickly as we can.
“Dave is measured, so you know when the pressure comes on he’s unlikely to get panicked. He’s going to remain measured and process focused and that’s some of the experience that he brings.”
While Harry Wilson was once again named Wallabies captain, interestingly Schmidt left himself room in the selection space to move away from him if he wanted to by opting not to confirm his leadership throughout the Lions series.
“It’s for this Test at the moment,” Schmidt said.
“We’ve got a really good, strong leadership group and they share the responsibility of leadership. So I think from that perspective, Harry’s become a familiar leader for us and I think it was comfortable.
“We’re trying to pick up where we left off effectively and where we left off, Harry was leading the team and it allows other guys just to do their own role and not get too much distracted by any leadership role.
“Captain is a label and it’s a responsibility and there are actions associated with it, but those actions are also something we expect to be demonstrated by the broader leadership group.”
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt addresses his side ahead of the Test against Fiji. Photo: Julius Dimataga, Rugby Australia
Meanwhile, Schmidt said he was hoping to see Taniela Tupou put the heat on the Lions at the set-piece on Saturday night in Sydney.
Schmidt released the 58-Test prop from Wallabies camp earlier this week to ensure he gets some more minutes under his belt for the Waratahs instead of being stuck behind Alaalatoa.
But the decision to throw the Tongan Thor at the Lions a fortnight before the first Test will also give the Wallabies selectors some valuable insights into how he would fare against them after an underwhelming Super Rugby campaign, where the Racing 92-bound prop spent much of the second half of the season on the bench.
“I’d love to see him tomorrow night just be really strong at set-piece,” Schmidt said.
“I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum. And then just making sure he’s contributing around the field as best he can.
“The last game he played for us was against Ireland, he made a 50 metre dash up the field at one stage, he was very strong in the scrum and so we haven’t forgotten that. I’m hoping, and I’ve spoken to Nella, that he hasn’t forgotten it either. He knows what he’s capable of and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability.”
Schmidt added that he thought the Lions had been “impressive” during their opening couple of hit outs on Australian shores but by no means perfect.
“They’ve been pretty impressive,” Schmidt said.
“But two games (in a row) they haven’t really started that well in the opening 20 minutes and they’ve actually missed a few opportunities.
“I think the more cohesion they develop, the more they’ll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities.”
