Schmidt's switch: Wallabies set to unleash stand-in 10
Eyebrows had been raised on Thursday when coach Joe Schmidt announced a team with no specialist flyhalf back-up for his veteran playmaker O'Connor, who's been recalled for his first Test in three years.
Schmidt had suggested scumhalf Nic White or outside back Andrew Kellaway were equipped as fill-in No.10s even though neither had played there in their pro careers, with his team selection appearing very risky at the Ellis Park home of the world champions.
🔁 Team update from Johannesburg.🆚 Springboks🗓️ Sunday August 17 | 1:10am AEST🏟️ Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg📺 @stansportau#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/4QmzTgh4wb
— Wallabies (@wallabies) August 15, 2025
But after an overnight rethink, Schmidt named one-cap Edmed on Friday as cover for 35-year-old O'Connor, putting him on the bench in place of the originally selected replacement loose forward Nick Champion de Crespigny.
If the Wallabies stick by their original plan to have O'Connor playing just the first half, that would mean Edmed coming on for the second 40, having previously played only three minutes as a replacement in the green-and-gold before he got injured against Ireland in Dublin late last year.
Schmidt's late volte face, announced by the Wallabies on social media, was highly unusual after his team had already been named, even though the New Zealander had signalled on Thursday he was pondering potential late switches after Ben Donaldson, his original replacement 10, got injured late in training.
Now, what had originally been listed as a surprise 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench has again reverted to a 5-3.
The No.10 berth has become a headache for Schmidt. His first-choice Noah Lolesio is out with neck trouble and Tom Lynagh suffered a concussion in their third-Test win over the British & Irish Lions in Sydney a fortnight ago, before Donaldson's latest setback.
"Dono went down in last-minute training on Thursday afternoon, which wasn't ideal after the team has been announced internally," explained captain Harry Wilson at a press conference on Friday.
"We named Crep (Champion de Crespigny) but the coach has had a few meetings overnight and again this morning to work out what would be the best replacement and decided to put in Tane, which he's really excited about.
"We've got a lot of confidence in him, he's been around the group now for a little while and what he's put in on the training park has been first class," Wilson added.
Wilson also has great faith in O'Connor, who's been important as a 'finisher' for the New Zealand Super Rugby outfit, the Crusaders.
"After three years, I know he's really excited to be out there. He's 35 years old. He's got plenty of experience. He's got plenty of confidence, and we can't wait to see him go out there and do his job," said Wilson.
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Yahoo
7 hours ago
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UFC 319 predictions, odds, full-card preview: Is Dricus du Plessis the man to beat Khamzat Chimaev?
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From one undefeated top UFC contender to the next, Pico went from initially being slated to debut against Movsar Evloev at UFC Abu Dhabi to now facing England's Lerone Murphy. A lot of trudging through murky waters has to be done in the 2025 UFC landscape. (Take the last two weekends, for example.) But when everything lines up just right, can't-miss matchups still occur, and that's the definition of UFC 319's main event. Overall, this card is a certified banger, even after the last-minute hits. The lack of another title fight might be all it took to prevent a perfect score. 👑 UFC 319's lineup Crown grade: A- 👑 Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. 185 pounds: (C) Dricus du Plessis (+200) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (-250) Title fights at the highest level of combat sports don't get much better than this, folks. The unstoppable force meets the immovable object, with several questions that remain unanswered — until the Octagon door closes Saturday night. 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Schmidt's switch: Wallabies set to unleash stand-in 10
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Tom's Guide
11 hours ago
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As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Aussie service, you'd select Australia from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now or another streaming service and watch the 2025 Rugby Championship. Rugby fans based in the U.S. can watch every match of the Rugby Championship 2025 on dedicated rugby streaming service FloRugby. A subscription costs $29.99 per month or $150 per year. Away from the U.S. on vacation right now? Remember to get a NordVPN so you can enjoy your regular Rugby Championship 2025 subscription as you would from back home. Rugby fans in Canada can catch all the 2025 Rugby Championship action on streaming service TSN Plus. A subscription lets you get access to all TSN has to offer, including ATP and WTA tennis and PGA Tour golf, on an $8/month or $80/year subscription basis. 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As we mentioned earlier, Australia's home matches and two Bledisloe Cup fixtures against New Zealand in the 2025 Rugby Championship are being broadcast for FREE across Channel 9 and 9Gem, with live streaming available for free via 9Now. What about the Wallabies' first two matches and all the other matches in the tournament? Stan Sport is where you want to go for that. They offer ad-free coverage of every single Rugby Championship 2025 fixture and and it will cost AU$32 for the Premium Plan and Sports add-on. Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on 9Now as if you were back home. Kiwis can access the Rugby Championship 2025 live streams via Sky Sport Now. This costs $29.99/week, $54.99/month or $549.99/year. Sky Sport in New Zealand is also the home of Formula 1, and countless other sports from around the world. Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow every game by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. The 2025 Rugby Championship will be televised on subscription service SuperSport. You'll need a DStv access package to watch SuperSport with prices starting at R99 per month. The games will be broadcast on their dedicated rugby channel. Outside South Africa for the tour? Just use a VPN and tell your device that you're back home and you'll be good to go. If you want to watch the Rugby Championship 2025 in 4K, you'll need the Australia based Stan Sport. It offers ad-free coverage of every match on every court, with the Stan Sport add-on costing $15. You'll also need the Stan Premium base plan, which is $21 per month. Sky Sports is also an option in the U.K.. You'll need Sky Q Box and the relevant subscription, specifically to Sky Sports Main Event. 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Argentina vs New ZealandLocal: 6:10 p.m. ARTU.S.: 5:10 p.m. ET / 2:10 p.m. PTU.K.: 10:10 p.m. BSTAUS: 7:10 a.m. AEST (Sun.) Saturday, August 23: South Africa vs AustraliaLocal: 5:10 p.m. SASTU.S.: 11:10 a.m. ET / 8:10 a.m. PTU.K.: 4:10 p.m. BSTAUS: 1:10 p.m. AEST (Sun.) Argentina vs New ZealandLocal: 6:10 p.m. ARTU.S.: 5:10 p.m. ET / 2:10 p.m. PTU.K.: 10:10 p.m. BSTAUS: 7:10 a.m. AEST (Sun.) Saturday, September 6: Australia vs ArgentinaLocal: 2:30 p.m. AESTU.S.: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT (Fri.)U.K.: 3:30 a.m. BST New Zealand vs South AfricaLocal: 7:05 p.m. NZSTU.S.: 3:05 a.m. ET / 12:05 a.m. PTU.K.: 8:05 p.m. BSTAUS: 5:05 a.m. AEST Saturday, September 13: Australia vs ArgentinaLocal: 2 p.m. AESTU.S.: 10 p.m. ET (Fri.) / 7 p.m. PT (Fri.)U.K.: 3 a.m. BST New Zealand vs South AfricaLocal: 7:05 p.m. NZSTU.S.: 3:05 a.m. ET / 12:05 a.m. PTU.K.: 8:05 p.m. BSTAUS: 5:05 a.m. AEST Saturday, September 27: New Zealand vs AustraliaLocal: 5:05 p.m. NZSTU.S.: 1:05 a.m. ET / 10:05 p.m. PT (Fri.)U.K.: 6:05 a.m. BST South Africa vs ArgentinaLocal: 5:10 p.m. SASTU.S.: 11:10 a.m. ET / 8:10 a.m. PTU.K.: 4:10 p.m. BSTAUS: 1:10 a.m. AEST (Sun.) Saturday, October 4: Australia vs New ZealandLocal: 5:45 p.m. AESTU.S.: 3:45 a.m. ET / 12:45 a.m. PTU.K.: 8:45 a.m. BST Argentina vs South AfricaLocal: 5:10 p.m. BST (venue: Twickenham, London, U.K.)U.S.: 12:10 p.m. ET / 9:10 a.m. PTAUS: 2:10 a.m. AEST (Sun.) We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
