Relief as Wallabies star avoids spinal injury, but headaches grow for Schmidt
The 22-year-old did not return to the field after half-time in the Reds' win over the Waratahs after suffering a concussion, meaning Lynagh will likely miss the Brumbies' clash as well, under the return-to-play protocols.
With just under 10 weeks before the first Test, there is hope Lolesio will have enough time to return to full fitness.
Lolesio started in nine Tests last year and, if fit, would still be the man most likely to wear the Wallabies No.10 in the first Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19. Given the high stakes of a Lions series, Lolesio's experience a 32-Test playmaker is a sizeable trump card over the young contender.
The Brumbies star recently signed to play in Japan next year but Schmidt has indicated he will not put a line through departing players when selecting a squad to win the Lions series.
Lolesio's nasty injury came just a day after fellow Wallaby Suaalii was also stretchered off with a head knock in the Waratahs' loss to the Reds in Sydney.
Suaalii will miss the Waratahs' clash with the Crusaders on Friday night, at least, and while the star code-swapper will definitely be selected for duty against the Lions, getting him to the starting line fit and healthy will be a major priority for Schmidt.
If the Crusaders extinguish the Waratahs' slim finals hopes this week, Rugby Australia may err on the side of caution regarding Suaalii's return.
The Waratahs sit in eighth on 22 points, four adrift of the top six with three games left. With favourable results elsewhere, three wins would give the Tahs a chance of making the play-offs, but they also face the Blues and the Force away, and they haven't won a game on the road all year.
Beating the Crusaders (third on 37 points) at home could provide patriotic support to the second-placed Brumbies (39), and possibly Reds (32).
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With a horror 0-19 record in play-off games in New Zealand over 25 years, Australian sides effectively need to finish in the top two to be a chance to win Super Rugby. The Brumbies also still have a bye to serve in the second-last round.
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