Ex-Wallabies clash on a Joe Schmidt regular’s Test future ahead of British & Irish Lions series after shock transfer
Wallabies legend Matt Burke and star playmaker Noah Lolesio.
Former Australia full-back Matt Burke believes Wallabies fly-half Noah Lolesio will not be in action at Test level this year after opting to further his career in Japan.
Last week it was announced that the Brumbies playmaker informed his team-mates at the Super Rugby Pacific outfit that he has signed a one-year contract with an unnamed Japanese club for 2026, with an option to play until the end of 2027.
The 25-year-old has been Australia‘s first-choice number 10 in recent seasons and started in nine out of 14 Tests for the Wallabies in 2024.
Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt will step down from his position after the upcoming series against the British & Irish Lions and the Rugby Championship.
Lolesio revealed that Schmidt’s impending departure and the uncertainty over who replaces him as Wallabies head coach played a significant role in his decision to leave Australia.
Rugby Australia have no official policy on players who have signed to play overseas beyond this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign being unavailable for Test selection.
Langi Gleeson axed from Wallabies training camp
However, Schmidt decided to ‘uninvite’ Waratahs back-row Langi Gleeson to a three-day training camp earlier this year after it was confirmed that he had joined Top 14 outfit Montpellier on a two-year deal.
And Burke, who made 81 Test appearances for Australia between 1993 and 2004, believes the Wallabies head coach will give Lolesio the same treatment.
“I reckon that’s it (for Lolesio),” he said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts show.
“(Ben) Donaldson comes into the box seat now as well having previously played there. He kicks goals, can play full-back as well, so there’s a bit of cover there.
“I think also in the mix comes Tom Lynagh, he’s been playing well, I know he didn’t start on the weekend but he’s been playing well.
“I don’t think anyone from the Waratahs would be in the mix at the moment.”
Apart from Lolesio and Gleeson, Brumbies and Wallabies duo Tom Hooper (utility forward) and Len Ikitau (centre) are set to join Exeter Chiefs with the latter’s move yet to be finalised.
Burke believes the trend of Australian players heading to overseas club comes down to a financial situation.
“We’re seeing money is putting that line in the sand,” he said.
Morgan Turinui disagrees
Meanwhile, former Wallabies centre Morgan Turinui doesn’t believe Schmidt will drop Lolesio for the eagerly anticipated Lions series.
“It’s hard to know with Joe Schmidt here. I’m big on best player, if he is deserving of being the Wallabies 10 in the Lions series, pick him, we need to win the series,” he said.
“You’ve also got to be significantly better, be the obvious choice. If Angus Bell did the same thing, we’re picking Angus Bell because he’s better, we need him.
“Noah is, for example, in a fight with Lynagh and Donaldson and if you’re Joe Schmidt and thinking, toss of a coin, maybe that comes into it.
“It’s not just about ’25 it’s about the next two years to come, it’s about winning a Bledisloe back and going well in the World Cup, (and he may think) well I might as well pick the two guys that are going to be here, I understand that.
“But if the Brumbies win the comp, and Noah leads them to winning the comp and he plays a little bit better than he has since coming back, and is the outstanding No.10 in Australia, I’d pick him for the Lions camp.”
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