Giteau Law ‘redundant' as Wallabies look to build on Lions success
Schmidt is expected to name his squad on Thursday before the Wallabies fly to South Africa on Saturday to take on the Springboks in Johannesburg and Cape Town on August 16 and 23.
Schmidt has consistently favoured players who ply their trade in Australia, unless an overseas-based player is considered demonstrably stronger than the domestic alternative.
The so-called 'Giteau Law' was last tweaked in 2022. Players need to have 30 Test caps or five years' service to Australian rugby to be eligible to be picked while playing overseas, with a limit of three picks a series.
Former Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell was a beneficiary of the first iteration of the law in 2015 when he was selected for Australia in the World Cup while playing for Toulon in France.
Horne said hypothetically that there was now nothing to stop Schmidt picking an overseas international rookie, such as Northampton star Josh Kemeny, who has played just two Tests for the Wallabies, giving the New Zealander further flexibility in his selections.
'I think we've been pretty open. Joe [Schmidt] has got no impediment to select whoever he wants; that's always been the case,' Horne said.
'The Giteau Law, it's kind of redundant, right? Though the reality is, if he wants to pick, I don't know, Josh Kemeny from Northampton, that's his call.
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