Wallabies: The ‘pressure cooker’ reason behind James O’Connor’s promotion versus All Blacks and why Joe Schmidt singled out ‘good all-purpose’ forward
Head coach Joe Schmidt has explained the Wallabies' recall of James O'Connor and his faith in back-rower Fraser McReight (inset)
Joe Schmidt has explained some of the half-dozen changes he has made to his starting Wallabies XV to face the All Blacks this Saturday – including his recalls for James O’Connor at fly-half and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto at second-row.
Despite leading the way at the top of the Rugby Championship, Australia head into their Round Five assignment in Auckland coming off the back of a loss in Sydney to Argentina.
Injuries to Andrew Kellaway and Rob Valetini, as well as the retirement of Nic White, were factors in Schmidt’s latest Wallabies team selection, but so too has form – most notably in his decision to back O’Connor to start.
It was only last week that the veteran back flew to England to get some things organised ahead of his upcoming club switch to Geoff Parling’s Leicester, but any concerns about jet lag were ignored as Schmidt has named O’Connor at No.10 after featuring in the two matches against Argentina off the bench.
“Probably not ideal in that it was a bit of travel…”
With Tom Lynagh, who started against the Pumas in Townsville, still unavailable because of injury, the inexperience of Tane Edmed, who had a first career Test start in Round Four in Sydney, was a factor in his benching heading to Eden Park.
O’Connor’s selection had also been accompanied by the promotion of Tate McDermott to start at scrum-half with White now retired. This weekend’s match has come too soon for the fit-again Jake Gordon, with the uncapped Ryan Lonergan named on the bench as the back-up nine.
Asked for his thoughts on O’Connor’s brief visit to England, Schmidt said: “That decision was made a little while before he went back, but he was going back to set himself up, get his dog over there.
“He booked his dog to go over and his partner, so they stuck with that. He got across there, caught up with Geoff for a couple of days, and it was always part of the plan. It was a fallow week for us, so there was a window to do it.
“It’s probably not ideal in that it was a bit of travel, but it just allowed him to set himself up beyond these next two weeks so I guess he could be free and just focusing on what he is in front of us, which is a very big challenge.”
Schmidt added that O’Connor’s promotion to start was also influenced by the upgrade of McDermott to start as well.
“It was really probably just around a change at nine already,” he said. “He [O’Connor] has probably got a long-term relationship with Tate, they go back a wee way with the Reds, and so it was just an opportunity for a little bit more experience.
“It’s going to be a pressure cooker, and we don’t have the luxury of being at home, of being at a ground where last game Tane was at his home ground effectively (in Sydney), so it was a more familiar opportunity to put the No.10 on for the first time in a gold jersey.
“And James has done well for us when he has come off the bench or when he has started. He started that first game in South Africa and did a good job.
“Jake trained this week, but we could tell from his metrics he wasn’t quite (ready),” added Schmidt about his scrum-half selection deliberation.
“He is getting back to where he needs to be and by the time next week comes, he will be fully ready. But just to put him in a little bit underdone in a game that could be very fast-paced, we didn’t believe that was in his best interests.
“Ryan Lonergan has been sitting in the squad for a while waiting for his opportunity. He is super fit, he’s sharp, he is conditioned in terms of fitting into the squad and Tate, a big day for Tate – 50th cap, massively well-earned, so he is getting that start with James which is hopefully another little bit of synergy we were looking for.”
Elsewhere in the back line, Kellaway’s injury resulted in Schmidt naming Harry Potter on the right wing and moving Max Jorgensen to full-back. Len Ikitau also takes over from Hunter Paisami at inside centre.
In the pack, there is a fresh pairing at lock with the fit-again Nick Frost combining with Salakaia-Loto, resulting in Tom Hooper moving to blindside in the absence of Valetini and Jeremy Williams dropping to the bench. For Salakaia-Loto, it’s his first Test start in a year as his last six caps have been as a sub.
“Part of it was we have lost Bobby Valetini, and that takes away a little bit of our carry,” explained Schmidt. “It’s just to give us a little bit more in the ability to get a little bit of momentum because Lukhan is a big, skilful man, and it allows us to put Tom Hooper back to the side of the scrum where he has done really well both in South Africa and going back to the Lions.
“Fraser (McReight) is great, he is a quiet leader in the team,” added the coach. “He has captained the team in recent weeks in Cape Town when Harry (Wilson) wasn’t available, and he is a good all-purpose player.
“He is actually quite good in the lineout. We don’t often put him there or throw to him, but he is very good above his head. He is skilful, a link player and he is good over the ball. We find that he works well with Harry, they have grown up playing together and Bobby.
“But missing Langi (Gleeson), who gives us that carry as well, it’s a little bit, but why we have got Lukhan in there to try to balance that up. Tom Hooper is that big engine worker and he carries well but not quite the same as Bobby, Langi or Lukhan.”
Saturday’s Eden Park match will be a landmark occasion for starting loosehead James Slipper.
“We have got a lot of confidence in our guys, and one especially is James Slipper, who is hitting a milestone mark that is phenomenal in terms of Test match footy,” said Schmidt.
“150 Tests is incredible. The thing I love about James is that he is still trying to get better. He is still working on his game to add a little bit more value to the team as best he can, and he is a massive team man.”
