FEATURE Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

It’s been a rollercoaster existence for Australian rugby fans over the past year, with the sugar hit of the second coming of Eddie Jones forgotten under the weight of sobering results and mind-boggling selections, followed by a forgettable Rugby World Cup, Jones’ sacking, and now, the welcome arrival of Joe Schmidt.

Australian players have lived that experience too – both those selected by Jones for the showpiece tournament in France, and those left behind for reasons of varying sensibilities – but they will benefit from Schmidt wiping the selection slate clean. And a lot of them are already building strong cases to be chosen.

Already, we know what Schmidt values in an international rugby team. We know he puts a high price on accuracy and efficiency, with the ball and without it. Do the little things well, do them better than the opposition, and do them for eighty-plus minutes. Pick your targets, hit your marks, and do it all in a way which enhances team performance.

The appointment of Laurie Fisher as his first assistant means Schmidt has found his Australian equivalent of a kindred coaching spirit. The pair will look for players who, aside from the set-piece, carry well, are efficient in contact, present the ball well, clean accurately, and then do it all again.

Until they were completely outplayed by the Weston Force in Perth last Saturday, the Queensland Reds back-row had been arguably the form combination in Super Rugby Pacific. The argument might be they still are, even if they did lose a few credits.

Hanigan is playing exactly the sort of game Australian fans wanted him to years ago, when he was thrust into international rugby before he was physically ready.

But there is very little debate the Reds 6-7-8 trio of Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, and Harry Wilson are absolutely ticking all the Schmidt-Fisher boxes. They are reminiscent of the circa-2015 Wallabies pack, when Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, and David Pocock operated so well as a unit.

Wright, McReight, and Wilson play really similarly, with the strong tackler, the rabid on-baller, and the possessed carrier who seems to make ground for fun.

McReight will be one of the first Wallabies picked in 2024, and Wilson has already built an impressive case after five rounds. But Wright could be the bolter here.

In truth, his 2024 form is not too dissimilar to the last few seasons, but he’s rarely mentioned in discussion around national term selections. The Reds’ start to the year, and the strength of this back-row combination Schmidt could build a game around, could easily rocket all three into the frame.

Elsewhere, it’s been really hard not to be impressed with the NSW Waratahs pair Jed Holloway and Ned Hanigan.

Holloway has started the year in strong carrying form, and his cleaning work around the ruck has been eye-catching too. Since moving to lock from the back-row a few years ago, he’s become an outstanding lineout operator as well.

Hanigan has been in quite incredible form, underlined by his 17 tackles in 28 minutes off the bench against the Crusaders, the second-highest tackle count in the game. He’s playing exactly the sort of game Australian fans wanted him to years ago, when he was thrust into international rugby before he was physically ready.

If accuracy and consistency are going to be important for scrum-halves, then Schmidt and Fisher could do a lot worse than take a look at stand-in Brumbies skipper Ryan Lonergan, and rising Waratah Teddy Wilson.

Len Ikitau’s omission from the Wallabies World Cup squad was one of the worst decisions made last season, and he has started 2023 in strong form, a welcome reminder of what has been missed.

Lonergan is bettered probably only by Nic White among the Australian nines in pass accuracy and speed, and he was part of Australian squads throughout 2023 up until Jones changed his mind a few days before departing for France. Lonergan’s pass is still one of the best in Australia, and his goalkicking adds an intriguing element to his game, too.

Wilson is quickly gaining fans for his work off the NSW bench this season, with the 2023 Junior Wallabies captain providing spark and impact when he comes on for Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon. On form and potential, his selection wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Len Ikitau’s omission from the Wallabies World Cup squad was one of the worst decisions made last season, and he has started 2023 in strong form, a welcome reminder of what has been missed. But a knee injury will keep him out of action for the next month or so, and the big beneficiary there might not be Leicester-bound Izaia Perese, but impressive Queensland 13 Josh Flook.

Flook’s defence in recent weeks has been terrific, but his straight-running and strong carrying in the Reds midfield has been a huge factor in Queensland leading the competition for tries scored. He should be in the frame.

Whatever conversations are had in the coming months, it will be fascinating to see which Australians really do fit the Schmidt model. But how players build their individual business cases will be critical to the Wallabies crafting a platform for future success. That’s something all Australian rugby fans are waiting for.