Schmidt benches best player in bold gamble for final Test
Outgoing Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has made two brave selection calls in his final team to play Italy in Perth.
As first reported by nine.com.au on Wednesday, Declan Meredith has retained the No.10 jersey for Saturday night’s Nations Championship Test despite the experienced Ben Donaldson being fit and available.
Ben Donaldson is hopeful of being fit for the Italy Test on Saturday Getty Images
Donaldson will come off the bench after missing the 42-26 loss to France with a calf injury.
Donaldson’s return sees unlucky fullback Jock Campbell drop out of the squad, after being thrown a hospital pass as the backup fly-half against France.
Schmidt’s other huge call is benching star flanker Fraser McReight.
McReight was immense in Brisbane but Force No.7 Carlo Tizzano will be let off the leash in front of his home crowd.
There is method in the madness.
Injecting McReight in the second half is a play to improve Australia’s ability late in games after a rampant France scored 30 unanswered points at Suncorp Stadium.
There’s a new face on the bench, too, with Waratahs firebrand Miles Amatosero set to make his debut.
The 24-year-old has been given an opportunity ahead of rising Brumbies lock Lachie Shaw, who played against Ireland and France.
It completes an astonishing turnaround for Amatosero after being banned by NSW in the preseason for punching teammate Angus Scott-Young at training.
The 203cm, 125kg enforcer will offer the Wallabies some more muscle with Italy presenting another physical challenge.
Harry Potter has been picked on the left wing, with Dylan Pietsch unavailable because of a calf contusion.
Italy were once easy pickings for the Wallabies but have won their last two meetings.
“We’ve shown some encouraging signs, but we need to sustain our accuracy and effort throughout the match,” Schmidt said. “The challenge for us this week is to perform at a consistently high standard against a dangerous Italian side, who were hugely competitive in the Six Nations, beating both Scotland and England as well as running other teams close”
Like the Wallabies, Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy side are winless from their opening two Nations Championship fixtures.
Italy lost 27-10 to Japan in Tokyo and 47-17 to New Zealand in Wellington.
The Azzurri only trailed the All Blacks 14-10 at halftime but lost lock Niccolo Cannone to a red card for headbutting.
Cannone has been banned for four games.
The clash at HBF Park will be Schmidt’s last in charge of the Wallabies before handing over the coaching reins to Les Kiss.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt addresses media. Getty
The Wallabies are hoping to avoid the unwanted history of becoming the first side since Michael Cheika’s in 2016 to lose all three July Tests.
The Wallabies have lost nine of their past 10 games, with Schmidt’s win record hovering at 36 per cent – the lowest win-rate of an Australian coach since the game turned professional.
He isn’t the only leaving the Wallabies’ coaching team either, with Laurie Fisher also standing down.
His departure will end 27 years of professional coaching, with a consultancy gig with Rugby Australia still in the works. Scott McLeod will be Kiss’ defence coach.
Donaldson said the playing group were intent on sending them out on a positive note.
“They’ve both been immense for us ever since they’ve come in Laurie’s been here for a bit longer than Joe has, but both of them have helped us as players grow, not only as players, but as humans as well,” Donaldson said.
“Although the results recently haven’t shown, I think there’s a lot of growth in this group thanks to these two guys, and it’d be nothing better to send them off with a win this week.”
Test debutant Declan Meredith Getty Images
It’s understood the decision to start Meredith over Donaldson raised eyebrows internally.
It gives the 27-year-old Cairns product a chance to build on his 57-minute Test debut.
After being thrown in the deep end following the double injury blow to Donaldson and Carter Gordon (calf), the Brumbies’ playmaker was always going to be under the pump.
His inexperience showed with the Wallabies unable to stem Les Bleus’ wave of momentum, especially early in the second half following Tom Wright’s yellow card.
The fullback’s departure saw France score another two quick tries, before Campbell entered the fray.
“I thought Declan acquitted himself really well for a guy who’s never played a Test match, and he’s up against not just (Romain) Ntamack but (Matthieu) Jalibert in the backfield,” Schmidt said after the loss.
“I think they’re two world-class 10s, and here’s a kid coming out of club rugby for his first Test, trying to be able to plot us around the field when they’ve got two guys like that piloting them around the field… which makes it challenging.”
Meredith is eager to get another crack.
“I’m just keen for my game to keep developing,” he said.
“If I keep getting another opportunity here in the Wallabies, I’d want to deliver more. So I guess that was a good starting point, but definitely more to build on and become better at as a director around that field.
“Especially after a game like that, you want to come back and provide a bigger exclamation mark on that. See what happens this coming week and then if we get another crack, it’d be a great opportunity.”
Meredith became Australia’s sixth player to wear the No.10 in the past 17 Tests, while another three – Donaldson, Hamish Stewart and Campbell – have come off the bench.
Donaldson was thrilled to see Meredith get a crack and added that he would benefit from the baptism of fire.
“As a 10, you understand how big an ask it is to come in against a French team, who are a pretty powerful team, and they’ve done so well in the north for a long time now, so I thought he did a great job,” he said.
Declan Meredith was thrown in the deep end at No.10. AP Photo/Tertius Pickard
“He controlled the game very well, and you saw at halftime how he set the boys up in the lead at halftime. He’s a confident fella, he had a great year with the Brumbies this year and moving forward, he’s going to take a lot of experience and growth out of that game. It was good to see him do well out there.”
Italy have made nine changes to their side.
Giulio Marini earns his first Test start after making his debut against the All Blacks last weekend, partnering the experienced Federico Ruzza in the second row.
Lorenzo Pani returns at fullback after being injured early against Japan, while Monty Ioane comes in on the wing and Paolo Odogwu makes his first appearance in the new competition.
Alessandro Garbisi takes the place of Stephen Varney at scrumhalf and pairs up with his brother Paolo.
Tommaso Allan and Lorenzo Cannone drop out after suffering injuries last Saturday, when Allan fractured a rib and Cannone broke a bone in his foot.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has become the first coach suspended under World Rugby’s new match official abuse sanction process after comments about refereeing following his side’s defeat to New Zealand.
WALLABIES (15-1): Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan, Harry Wilson (c), Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Josh Canham, Allan Alaalatoa, Brando Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell.
Reserves: Billy Pollard, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Miles Amatosero, Fraser McReight, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Filipo Daugunu
ITALY (15-1): Lorenzo Pani, Louis Lynagh, Nacho Brex, Paolo Odogwu, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Garbisi, Ross Vintcent, Michele Lamaro (c), Riccardo Favretto, Federico Ruzza, Giulio Marini, Marco Riccioni, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Muhamed Hasa
Reserves: Pablo Dimcheff, Danilo Fischetti, Ion Neculai, Andrea Zambonin, Alessandro Ortombina, Alessandro Fusco, Giacomo Da Re, Leonardo Marin
