Who will Wallabies boss Eddie Jones select as his Giteau’s Law picks?

Dylan Coetzee
Wallabies: Split with Will Skelton and Quade Cooper

Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones has much to mull over ahead of his first game in charge of the side since returning to the helm at the beginning of the year and one such consideration is his Giteau’s Law picks.

Giteau’s Law is a selection policy that allows the Wallabies selectors to pick a total of three players who are based outside of Australia provided they have 30 or more Test caps.

Whilst Jones has suggested that Rugby Australia may be interested in relaxing the selection policy, at this stage Giteau’s Law stands and Planet Rugby has ranked the stars pushing for those three coveted spots.

Front runners

Marika Koroibete: The robust wing has been one of the Wallabies‘ best performers for a good couple of seasons as his two John Eales Medals for Australian Player of the Year in 2019 and 2022 suggest. Simply put, the wing is world-class and has the ability to change a game in an instant. He is currently plying his trade in Japan for the Panasonic Wild Knights and will be very much in the conversation for the three picks.

Quade Cooper: One gets the feeling Jones is banking on the maverick playmaker to steer his Wallabies side back to the top of the world. Fly-half is a paper-thin position in the Australian set-up and the door is wide open for someone to step up. The Japan-based star could be that man. With the backing of Jones, a recently fit again Cooper could well cause problems for defences. The bottom line is, at pivot Jones needs someone to hit the ground running, there is not enough time to allow a player to grow into the role.

Will Skelton: The second-row is a serial winner with four Champions Cups to his name now after his recent triumph with La Rochelle. He is absolutely monstrous and his physicality is just about second to none across the entire game. Skelton is vastly experienced and will be a player who can make an instant impact without any additional development. Jones himself recently touted him as one of the best right-hand locks in the world. Given his form and the way he can influence a forward battle it would be a shock to see the gargantuan man miss out.

Samu Kerevi: The centre oozes quality through his hard-running, physical nature coupled with impressive attacking nous. In many ways, Kerevi is a coach’s dream and he too is very experienced, allowing him to immediately make an impact. The Suntory Sungoliath player recently featured for the Jones-coached Barbarians where the veteran boss would have had a proper look at him.

Strong contenders

Richie Arnold: The second-row has grown into a stalwart at French side Toulouse. Jones included the star in an extension of his training squad after speaking to Ugo Mola, the Toulouse boss, about the Australian. It is clear the Wallabies boss believes Arnold can make a difference. However, without more than three overseas-based players being able to earn selection and the fact that he has less than 30 Test caps it is unlikely he will go to the World Cup.

Bernard Foley: With the concerns at fly-half and his recent involvement in the set-up, the veteran has a chance at one of the three spots. Locally-based fly-halves have not done a great deal to boost themselves with the exception of Carter Gordon. Foley, who is also Japan-based, is a consistent player and one possibly past his prime but is a safe bet. However, similar to Arnold, if Giteau’s Law does not change it’s unlikely Jones will select him.

Outside chance

Tom Banks: The former Brumby and current Japan-based star was another player included as an extension of Jones’ first squad. He is a quality player and one that has proved he has what it takes at Test level. Banks does not have enough caps to surpass the 30-cap threshold which could prove an issue. Beyond that, there is enough local talent in the back-three which will play against his chances.

Tawera Kerr-Balow: A rather unlikely prospect for several reasons including the fact he is uncapped for Australia. However, the former All Black is eligible by birth for Australia having been born in the country and has certainly been playing well enough. The scrum-half has been nothing short of integral for La Rochelle during their recent success. He controls the game brilliantly from the base and has scored many key tries. He would be a surprising yet effective selection.

Adam Coleman: Another second-row on the list and one that has been class for London Irish in recent times. He has enough Test caps to qualify for Giteau’s Law and with the tragic financial situation that has resulted in the club entering administration, the star may return home to qualify for regular selection. He is certainly one to think about for Jones, who needs players to hit the ground running.

Rory Arnold: The more experienced at Test level of the Arnold twins but ironically the less likely of the two. Jones was not impressed that Rory opted to stay in Japan and even joked that he is working on the Hino production line. Nevertheless, he is a proven Test star and a consideration for sure, albeit unlikely.

Sean McMahon: Our final outside chance falls just short of the cap limit but has still proven his quality on the Test stage. He is playing in Japan and remains a quality player. Despite his quality and experience, the local depth at flank and the limitations of Giteau’s Law will likely see him miss out.

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Australia Eddie Jones Marika Koroibete Samu Kerevi Will Skelton

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