Wallabies follow Springboks' blueprint as 'Giteau Law' scrapped
This comes after Rugby Australia has made a significant policy change, ending the Giteau Law and adopting a more flexible approach to player selection.
Rugby Australia has confirmed a major shift in national selection policy, announcing that Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and coach-in-waiting Les Kiss are free to select as many overseas-based players as they see fit. The move mirrors the approach taken by South Africa, who previously scrapped a similar policy in favour of open selection.
Introduced in 2015, the Giteau Law limited Wallabies eligibility to overseas players with 60 or more Test caps and seven years of Super Rugby service. It was originally designed to retain top talent within Australia, but its relevance has waned in recent years. Now, Rugby Australia has declared the rule redundant.
RA CEO Phil Waugh and High Performance boss Peter Horne made the announcement following the successful British & Irish Lions series, signalling a more flexible approach to Wallaby selections heading into the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
'We're pretty open,' Horne said. 'Joe's got no impediment to select whoever he wants. The Giteau Law is kind of redundant now.'
He emphasised, however, that domestic-based players will still be prioritised when they are of equal quality. 'It's important we invest in our premier competition in Australia,' Horne added. 'But this gives us the freedom to pick difference-makers when needed.'
The change paves the way for Europe-bound stars like Will Skelton, Taniela Tupou, Langi Gleeson, and Tom Hooper to continue representing Australia. Japan-based players such as Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, and Bernard Foley also remain firmly in the selection frame.
Both Skelton and Tupou earned high praise for their performances in the 22–12 third Test win over the Lions in Sydney. Their off-field leadership and positive cultural impact were highlighted as key factors in maintaining squad cohesion.
Waugh noted the importance of keeping top players in Australia but acknowledged that flexibility was essential.
'Cohesion is critically important, but if there's a material difference between what we have locally and what's offshore, we'll make the call,' he said.
A squad update is expected later this week, with all players undergoing medical screening and review.
The Wallabies now appear to be following the Springboks' successful model, blending domestic development with global experience in pursuit of World Cup glory on home soil in 2027.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
6 hours ago
- The South African
Where is former Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer?
Heyneke Meyer is one of the most celebrated coaches in South Africa, having been the first South African coach to win the Super Rugby trophy. With nearly 30 years of experience coaching professional teams, the Mbombela-born coach has secured multiple trophies, including the 2007 Super Rugby trophy with the Vodacom Bulls. After coaching youth and school teams, Meyer rose to the position of head coach for the SWD Eagles in 1998, where he led the team to strong performances in the Currie Cup. He also served as the forwards coach for the Stormers and Emerging Springboks in 1999. In 2000, Meyer joined the Bulls, guiding them to four Currie Cup titles and a historic Super Rugby title in 2007, making him the first South African coach to achieve this feat. The Bulls also became the first and only team to lift the Super Rugby title at that time. After losing the 2007 Currie Cup semifinal against the Free State Cheetahs, Meyer left the Pretoria franchise. On June 30, 2008, he was named head coach of the Leicester Tigers in England. His tenure was short-lived after he took compassionate leave to attend to family matters in South Africa after just 15 matches. The South African coach subsequently stepped down from his position on January 28, 2009 and later took up an executive role with the Bulls. In January 2012, Meyer was appointed head coach of the Springboks on a four-year term, taking over from Peter de Villiers. During his time, the Springboks played commendable rugby but were often dominated and outplayed by the All Blacks during their golden era. Meyer coached the Springboks in their first-ever game against Japan in the 2015 World Cup. The Brave Blossoms produced one of the biggest upsets in rugby history by defeating the Springboks 34–32 with a try in the corner deep into injury time. Following that match, Meyer faced criticism for favouring 'experience over talent' and was required to issue a public apology to South Africans after the embarrassing defeat. After losing to the All Blacks in the 2015 World Cup semifinal, he expressed a desire to continue as coach, but many opposed the extension of his contract. After departing from the Springboks, Heyneke Meyer took on the head coach/director role at Stade Français in the French Top 14 for the 2018–2019 season. As of mid-2025, Heyneke Meyer serves as the Director of Rugby for the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby (MLR), a position he has held since July 2021 and is contracted through the end of the 2025 MLR season. The 57-year-old coach recently said he desired to return to South Africa once his contract expired. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
7 hours ago
- The Citizen
OPINION: Sacha needs to repeat brilliance from last Rugby Championship
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu needs to follow up on his excellent Rugby Championship performance from last year. Now is the time for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's star to truly rise. The 23-year-old utility back had some excellent games for the Springboks last season but is still relatively wet behind the ears when compared with Handré Pollard and Manie Libbok. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus recently said he did not have a first-choice flyhalf and would use all three depending on the opposition and situation this season. Still, any fan can see that when in form, Feinberg-Mngomezulu encompasses the best of both his seniors. With playmaking and goal-kicking ability to rival Libbok and Pollard – and being five years younger than Libbok and eight years younger than Pollard – 'Sacha FM' could lead the Springboks through the 2027 Rugby World Cup and into the future. Sacha's rising star He may have only 10 Test caps at the moment, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been impressive on the international stage. In his Test debut against Wales a little over a year ago, he came off the bench and nailed a 52m penalty, plus two conversions. In his first Test start – a Rugby Championship game against Australia in August – he slotted four out of five conversions. He also assisted a try, gained nearly 5m per carry on average, and achieved a 75% tackle success rate. Against New Zealand that same month, he slotted two conversions and four penalties (including a 61m monster kick). He achieved a 100% tackle success rate, beat four defenders and made 15 tactical kicks. Feinberg-Mngomezulu in great form Feinberg-Mngomezulu is no stranger to the Rugby Championship. He may have had an iffy start to the international season, slotting one out of five kicks at posts against Georgia and failing to create many opportunities. But he will be keen to continue his form from the domestic season. Despite a long injury layoff, the flyhalf lit up the United Rugby Championship and was named SA's URC player of the season. His return almost single-handedly drove the Stormers' surge from 12th to fifth on the log, where the team finished. He lit up the tournament with his unparalleled playmaking, even scoring 50 individual points over two matches. The flyhalf ended the tournament with an 85.7% kicking success rate compared to Libbok's 72.6%. He had a poor game in his team's quarter-final defeat, however. With the mercurial Libbok in and out of form, and Pollard the ever-dependable goal-kicker but less strong in playmaking, this could be Feinberg-Mngomezulu's season.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Proteas' Rickelton targets T20I breakthrough ahead of Australia series
Ryan Rickelton says he is ready to seize his opportunity as T20I opener when South Africa face Australia in a three-match series starting on Sunday. Photo: AFP Image: AFP Proteas batter Ryan Rickelton aims to cement his spot at the top of the order in the T20I side during the upcoming three-match series in Australia, as the Proteas look to find a settled squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Rickelton, though he has secured a place as an opener in the Test and ODI squads, is yet to make a mark in the shortest format, having scored only one half-century in 13 innings with an average of 20. However, the left-handed batter has all the shots and batting tempo to succeed as a T20I opener, as proven in the SA20 and IPL earlier this year. Coach Shukri Conrad has also backed Rickelton, making it clear that he will open the batting in Australia. 🇿🇦✈️ The Proteas Men are headed Down Under! A thrilling white-ball tour awaits as they take on Australia in a T20I and ODI series as part of vital preparation for the upcoming World Cup in 2026. 🏆🏏 📺 Don't miss a moment of the action with all matches live on SuperSport 🔥.… — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 1, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The 29-year-old told the media on Wednesday that, whether he opens with 19-year-old Lhuan-dré Pretorius or Aiden Markram, he will not change his natural brand of cricket, as it fits the vision of the current T20 side. 'I can honestly say I'm still trying to establish myself in the T20 side. From my own personal point of view, luckily enough, there is experience around me within T20Is, such as Aiden and Rassie,' said Rickelton. 'I don't think there'll be any expectation for me to change anything in what I've been doing these last two years. It's just an opportunity for me to hopefully claim that opening spot for the South African side going into the T20 World Cup and beyond. 'So, definitely not trying to change the way I play. I think the way the team is structured, it fits the mould and how they want me to play, too. "So, pretty comfortable with what's required. Always looking to take or make that first punch and get the side off to a good start, no matter who's alongside me at the top.' The Proteas will face Australia for the first time since they beat them at Lord's in the World Test Championship final in June. Rickelton said the squad takes confidence from that result, despite the change in format. 'It is a different format, but I think the Lord's victory instilled belief not just within the group, but within the wider cricketing community in South Africa. It definitely gives us confidence that we can do these things we speak about and dream about,' he said. 'It's a different format, a crazy format — anything can happen, and the game can change in the space of a few deliveries. 'So, we're looking forward to trying to take momentum from a few months ago, especially with the guys coming back as well, and trying to win a series here in Australia.' Rickelton, alongside Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs, returns to action for the first time since the WTC final, after being rested for the tour to Zimbabwe. The southpaw revealed that, while they may not have understood the reason for the break at first, they now feel refreshed and hungry to return. 'It's been a few of us who've been on the road for quite a period of time, and before the break comes, you might not really be looking forward to it or understand the need for it. But I think, looking back now, it was really beneficial to me,' said Rickelton. 'I chatted to the guys who've been on break — Aiden, Tristan, Marco, KG — they look really chuffed with life. KG's raring to go again. Aiden looks like he's got that spark in his eye again. He's keen to get going as well. 'So, it's important to just have that switch-off. The exposure you have to cricket can be a little bit too much sometimes. So, to be able to step out is quite nice. 'And if you look at the rest of the year, all the way through to the end of the IPL next year, it's pretty packed — not just for the five of us, but for the collective group as well. 'So it's important to have that break, and the five of us are very chuffed with it. I'm very chuffed with it. And like I said, we're happy to be back and really ready to go.' The Proteas will play three T20Is and three ODIs in Australia, with the first T20I set to get underway on Sunday, 10 August.
