Joe Schmidt issues MAJOR update on powerhouse trio ahead of Springboks showdown
Wallabies lock Will Skelton and an inset of head coach Joe Schmidt.
Joe Schmidt is confident that Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou will be in the selection frame to face the Springboks in the Rugby Championship opener.
The trio were all named in the Wallabies squad for the two-Test tour of South Africa and will tackle the world champions at the iconic Ellis Park Stadium, a ground Australia haven’t won at since 1963, losing on their last seven visits to Johannesburg.
Major fitness boost
Valetini missed the first and third Test against the British and Irish Lions due to a calf injury, while Skelton was absent the first for the same reason before starring in the second and final game.
As for Tupou, he is nursing a toe injury he sustained in the third game against the tourists after he was elevated into the starting XV following a setback to Allan Alaalatoa, who Schmidt is hopeful will feature later on in the Rugby Championship.
Despite the concerns over the star forward trio, Schmidt is confident that they will all be available for selection to face the Springboks.
“They’re definitely all in contention for Ellis Park,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney Airport.
“Obviously, Will played 60 minutes [in the third Test against the Lions], Nela [Tupou] played 60-odd [minutes] in Sydney. It feels like a long time ago; it wasn’t even a week ago.
“So they’re fine and Bobby [Valetini] did a really good run yesterday, so our ambition is that he’ll train fully with us this week.”
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Meanwhile, Schmidt stated that the Wallabies will be keeping a close eye on fly-half Tom Lynagh and prop Alaalatoa, who could link up with the squad later in the tournament.
Lynagh was omitted from the touring squad to South Africa after he copped a nasty head blow in the third Test against the Lions, a challenge that resulted in a suspension for hooker Dan Sheehan.
“I’m hopeful they’re not [out of The Rugby Championship],” Schmidt said.
“We’re going to have to see how the next two weeks go for both of them really. Allan is recovering pretty well so far, and we’re hoping that a conservative approach allows him to come back and play.
“We’ll also be really conservative with Tom [Lynagh]. He’s a young player – you’ve seen the size of him versus the size of some of the guys firing into him – and we’ve just got to make sure that we look after them as best we can.”
