Joe Schmidt had defended his decision to hand Nic White a dream farewell Test against the Lions, insisting sentimentality didn’t play a part in picking him ahead of the in-form Jake Gordon.
After The Roar revealed that White would wear the No.9 jersey against the Lions, the veteran halfback’s selection for the series finale in Sydney was confirmed just two hours after the 35-year-old announced he was retiring from the international game after the Test. He will then hang up the boots completely following September’s Super Rugby AU competition.
The decision to start White comes after the halfback missed selection in the opening two Tests of the series and one week after many thought Gordon, who scored in the heartbreaking 29-26 defeat at the MCG, enjoyed his best performance in a gold jersey. McDermott has once been selected on the bench.
Schmidt revealed over coffee in Melbourne last week that White decided the Lions series would bring down the curtain on his international career.
“We had a coffee last Wednesday and talked about him finishing up and that he felt it was the right time, and so we made a bit of a plan,” Schmidt told reporters on Thursday.
Asked if that “plan” involved him starting the third Test, Schmidt admitted it “was a thought” but seemed to indicate the decision was made harder given the form of the two incumbent halfbacks.
“In the context of Jake playing well last week, and playing well the week before, and Tate being so good. I thought Tate was super, albeit on the wing on the weekend, and he was super coming off the bench into number nine the week before,” Schmidt said.
“I think Whitey’s got such massive respect inside the squad that it seemed a fitting way for him to finish.
“And I’m not a sentimentalist. It’s a Test match, and you pick people who are capable of playing that Test match, and we believe that Nic is.”
Nic White and Joe Schmidt ahead of the second Lions Test at the MCG. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Asked whether Gordon was fit, Schmidt said “Jake trained today” before being probed why he thought White was better suited to play in the series finale.
“I’ve already explained that,” Schmidt said with a perplexed and agitated look on his face.
“Nic has an excellent kicking game. He has the confidence of the players. And he has a really good game under his belt against Fiji, and I thought he played really well against the British and Irish Lions for the Western Force. So he’s built his way into contention.
“At the same time, Jake has done really well. But then Tate has done really well as well. And that’s what I just explained, that there are three nines who are all in contention every week. And this week we’ve decided to go with Nic White.”
While Schmidt insisted White had not been given a farewell Test, the experienced coach added that it was only natural that the team would rally around him and want to send the 72-Test international out on a high.
“I know it’s part of the motivation,” Schmidt said.
“He’s so well respected in the group. He’s been at the top of the game for a dozen years, so when you make that contribution over 12 years, as I said, it’s not sentimentality, but it is a reality when someone is important to the group, the group want to support them. And Jake’s part of that group. I had a conversation with Jake, obviously.”
Nic White will play his final Test against the Lions in Sydney on Saturday. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
After being controversially sunk by a last-minute try to Hugo Keenan last weekend, Schmidt admitted that Saturday’s Test ranked as one of the hardest of his career in ensuring the Wallabies were mentally in the right space to fire another shot.
“It’s right up there,” Schmidt said.
“Incredibly deflated group. Tuesday was tough, actually, to get them up off the canvas. And today, there was a little bit of an upswing, and we’ve just got to keep that momentum.
“Hopefully, they can be sharp at captain’s run tomorrow and then springboard their way into the Test match.
“It is a challenge because all that emotional energy, psychological energy that was expended, the way things finished, the sense of frustration, and it’s almost like a grieving process by the time they’ve gone through those first few days. And giving them time to breathe a bit and then try to elevate the spirits and the tempo.”
Elsewhere, Dylan Pietsch was named on the wing to replace Harry Potter (hamstring).
Hard-hitting loose-forward Rob Valetini wasn’t risked after his calf muscle tightened up ahead of the tour of the first leg of the Rugby Championship in South Africa, with Tom Hooper named in the No.6 jersey.
Joe Schmidt addresses the Wallabies following their late defeat in Melbourne. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
While Taniela Tupou, the Racing 92-bound tight-head prop, was named for the first time this year after Allan Alaalatoa injured his shoulder and will likely miss at least the first half of the TRC.
Schmidt said he was encouraged by Tupou’s performance for the First Nations and Pasifika side last week in Melbourne and added that the fresh faces would help the energy levels inside camp.
“One of the reasons we’ve made a few changes is that when everyone’s as flat as they were, I think just bringing a few newer guys in, it just freshens things up and those guys know it’s an opportunity for them,” he said.
“I suppose it’s just a way to shift the malaise that continued for the 48 hours post-game to try to get that upswing.”
The Wallabies risk being the first home nation to be clean swept by the Lions in more than a century if they lose in Sydney.
Despite the history at stake, Schmidt said he had concentrated on simply improving rather than being motivated by outcomes.
“I guess we’ve tried to stay pretty pragmatic and maybe not talk about outcomes of 2-1 or 3-0,” he said. “Just how do we make sure we stay better connected here? How do we make sure that our body height’s right here? How do we make sure we win the race over the ball there? How do we make sure we do these various things as well as we can? Because if you can accumulate enough of those things done well, then you put yourself in the picture.”
