This is the Wallabies squad Schmidt should select to play the Lions
4 Nick Frost (Brumbies): Despite those occasional question marks about his defence, he is still a pretty complete second-rower and is highly disciplined: he doesn't give away many soft penalties.
5 Will Skelton (Stade Rochelais): He's never quite delivered his best for the Wallabies but should get a decent run-in to the first Test, especially if his French club do not go far in the Top 14 playoffs, or even make it (to be decided this weekend).
6 Rob Valetini (Brumbies): An easy decision, although he'll go into the series with a target on his back because Lions coach Andy Farrell will know that he is central to the Wallabies' momentum.
7 Fraser McReight (Reds): Hasn't reached the same heights as last year but is at the stage of his career where he doesn't need to keep proving himself in Super Rugby. Everyone knows the level he can reach, and for that reason he's ahead of Tizzano.
8 Harry Wilson (Reds): A far closer call than at the start of season, given his run of injuries. But he's still stepped up when needed for the Reds. Form will be closely watched against the Crusaders, because the back row is a unit where Schmidt has options.
9 Tate McDermott (Reds): He's played his way in by rediscovering his running game in and around the ruck. As brave as they come and would represent the dash of boldness the Wallabies need to break down the Lions defence.
10 Noah Lolesio (Brumbies): Schmidt showed last year that Lolesio was his man and there has been no compelling reason to change that. Understanding with Len Ikitau and Tom Wright is critical.
11 Max Jorgensen (Waratahs): A massive loss in the context of the Waratahs' season, but has the speed and game smarts to slot straight back into the Wallabies if he is fit.
12 Len Ikitau (Brumbies): Showed last year he can easily move into the No 12 jersey to be the real leader in the midfield. The class act that will be needed against the Lions in an area where they look strong.
13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Waratahs): Limited to just seven games for the Waratahs, but showed enough to a major ball-carrying weapon for the Wallabies. Schmidt will desperate to engineer even the slightest amount of space on the outside for Suaalii.
14 Harry Potter (Force): Last year's Wallabies performances have informed the majority of my picks, but Potter has mounted a compelling case over the out-of-sorts Andrew Kellaway. The latter can change my mind with a good Test against Fiji, however.
15 Tom Wright (Brumbies): He really has developed into the all-round package at fullback. His ability to carry the ball in both hands to keep his options open is a world-class asset.
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Reserves: Matt Faessler (Reds), James Slipper (Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Waratahs), Jeremy Williams (Force), Pete Samu (Bordeaux-Begles), Jake Gordon (Waratahs), Tom Lynagh (Reds), Hunter Paisami (Reds).
This is the area where it has been so difficult to make decisions. If the Lions show their hand early and run with three No 7s, Carlo Tizzano might have to come in on a 6-2 split with Paisami dropping off.
Tom Hooper and Langi Gleeson are also pushing hard, but Samu's ability to cover all three back-row positions gives him the edge. Lynagh over O'Connor? The Rugby World Cup in 2027 has played a role with Lynagh's development critical to that tournament. Suaalii's ability to cover fullback (and wing at a push) also lessens the need for Ben Donaldson as a No 10/15 replacement.
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
History beckons after Brumbies book Super Rugby semi
The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU). The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU). The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU).
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Brumbies seal Super Rugby semi final berth with win over the Hurricanes
There's still a pulse in Australia's ailing Super Rugby teams. Not for the first time, the ACT Brumbies have saved Australian rugby's blushes with a thrilling 35-28 quarter-final win over the Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday. They now face the dreaded prospect of having to win twice in New Zealand to take the title but that's a problem for another day because the good news is that at least they're still alive. Australia's other teams all folded like cheap suits and have already crashed out of the tournament, leaving the Brumbies to fly the flag alone against the three remaining Kiwi sides. If it wasn't for an officiating blunder that cost them victory in their final regular season clash with the Crusaders, the Brumbies would be hosting a semi next week but instead they're off to Waikato Stadium in Hamilton to tackle the Chiefs. It's a tough assignment but the Brumbies have always been a side willing to roll up their sleeves and grind out wins through hard work. Twice they found themselves trailing the Hurricanes inside the first quarter of the game but both times they levelled the scores with tries off the back of rolling mauls after spurning the chance of easy points from penalties. It's not pretty but it's a highly effective tactic that the Brumbies have mastered and the Wallabies should consider using in their upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions. Four of the Brumbies' five tries against the Hurricanes were scored by frontrowers, two by hooker Billy Pollard and one each from props James Slipper and captain Allan Alaalatoa, who returned to the side from injury. 'It felt good to earn ourselves another week,' Alaalatoa said. 'We knew it was probably going to take everything we had. Physically, we spoke a lot about our tackle area and our tackle completion from the last time we played them. 'We backed ourselves. We knew that if we were going to beat the Hurricanes, we had to score some tries. 'The last time we played him, we didn't get many A-Zone opportunities, so we wanted to take as many as we could.' Only Tom Wright, who had an impressive game at fullback, chalked one up for the backline after he combined with powerhouse backrower Rob Valentini. If the Brumbies have a weakness it's with their defence. They conceded 50 tries during the normal season and gave up four more against the Hurricanes to keep the visitors in the game right until the final whistle. There was some added pressure before the game when the Auckland Blues scored in the last minute to beat the Chiefs in New Zealand, meaning the Brumbies' match was sudden-death. Had the Chiefs won, both the Brumbies and the Canes would have been assured a place in the semis regardless of the result but it was the Aussies who survived to fight again. 'It's good for us to experience that pressure now, especially heading over to Hamilton now where it is going to be do or die,' Alaalatoa said. 'To have that feeling for the game I think it's gonna be good for us heading into next week.'
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Brumbies into Super Rugby semi-final with 'Canes win
The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives paid dividends for the Brumbies. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal the pill and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives paid dividends for the Brumbies. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal the pill and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives paid dividends for the Brumbies. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal the pill and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season.
