‘I’m always worried’: Georgia on Schmidt’s mind as he rolls the selection dice

Two victories from two Tests have not quite quelled Joe Schmidt’s nerves ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Georgia in Sydney, where the coach has made 17 changes to his Wallabies side in an attempt to build depth in his squad ahead of next month’s Rugby Championship.

The Wallabies are heading into their final major audition before playing South Africa on August 10 in Brisbane, with Schmidt unsure of exactly what to expect from the new-look side at Allianz Stadium.

“ I think I said last week, I’m always worried, so I don’t think that changes for me at all,” Schmidt said. “I’m nervous about how things will pan out and how the game will pan out.”

Georgia are currently ranked 12th in the world, and their two most recent fixtures were a 25-23 victory over Eddie Jones’ Japan and a 21-12 defeat to Fiji, both away from home.

Schmidt said finding the balance between winning against an opposition most expect the Wallabies to defeat convincingly and building his squad for the future had proved a challenge.

“It’s an impossible balance to get dead right because you’re not sure until the team goes out there you’ve done the right thing,” Schmidt said.

New Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.Credit: Getty Images

“And we have huge respect for Georgia. We’d predict that they won’t have anything like as many changes [as the Wallabies] and they will see an opportunity, especially on the back of recent wins.

“Wales, Italy, last weekend against Japan. And even against some of the other big teams where they have definitely been in the game for a long time. I guess people just have to have faith in the changes, and we’ve got faith in the changes.”

After two wins against Wales, Schmidt will use the Georgia clash as a chance to roll out a majorly overhauled team, with only six of the 23-man team from last week’s clash selected in the same spot. Schmidt has also used a third captain in as many weeks, a former All Black and a 21-year-old on debut with just nine Super Rugby matches under his belt.

Schmidt named an all-new tight five and a reshuffled back line, with a new halves pairing in Tate McDermott and Ben Donaldson.

Ben Donaldson will return to the Wallabies No.10 jersey.Credit: Getty Images

Rookie winger Darby Lancaster will make his debut on the wing after finishing his first Super Rugby season for the Rebels, where a three-try haul against the Highlanders put him on the radar of Schmidt and national coaches. Lancaster played for the Australian sevens team straight out of school in 2022.

On the bench, former All Black prop Alex Hodgman has been named for a likely debut, and is set to become just the fourth person in history to play Tests for both New Zealand and Australia.

Outside centre Len Ikitau and No.8 Harry Wilson, who both missed selection for the Rugby World Cup, are starting for the first time this year, after being injured for the Wales series. Wilson hasn’t played a Test since September 2022.

Wilson missed the end of the Super Rugby season after breaking his right arm in May and is determined to use his strong form for the Reds to secure his place in the Wallabies squad.

“That’s been my Test career so far, I’ve been in and out,” Wilson said. “I’ve just got so much hunger to be in the squad and try and remain in the team. I guess that it’s all going to end well if I can go and perform for the team and do my job. So it definitely fuels the hunger and now I’ve got the opportunity, I’ve got to take it with both hands.”

Up front, Allan Alaalatoa will start – and captain the side – in place of the rested Taniela Tupou, and Isaac Kailea will get his first run-on Test start after impressive form off the bench against Wales. In his third Test, Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard will start at hooker.

Nick Frost will also get his first run at lock, with Angus Blyth, who has played the last two Tests off the bench.

Tom Hooper and Zane Nonggorr, who emerged last year under Eddie Jones, will also get their first chances of the year on the bench. Hodgman played four Tests for the All Blacks in 2020 before switching to the Queensland Reds this year.

Via his Fijian-Australian father and a three-year stand-down from Test rugby, Hodgman became eligible for the Wallabies and will join Ted Jessep, Des Connor and Owen Stephens as players who played Test rugby for New Zealand and Australia.

Schmidt paid tribute to Hodgman, who is keen to add to the competition for the loosehead prop position, given the injury to previous incumbent Angus Bell and the workload on last week’s captain James Slipper.

“I know it means something to Alex himself,” Schmidt said. “He’s driven to achieve and he’s not a young prop, he’s experienced. He’s played at the [international] level, obviously in a Test match for the All Blacks. He had a little bit of an up-and-down season with the Reds with injury, but when he was available, I thought he did a good job.”

Ahead of Saturday’s Test – the last in Sydney until the Bledisloe Cup on September 21 – Schmidt spoke of the importance of fan support for the Wallabies ahead of the Rugby Championship.

“I just hope that people keep their confidence and the support makes a difference,” Schmidt said. “It definitely adds a little bit of a positive edge to a player when they run out and the crowd is there and they see lots of yellow and they feel the support of the crowd.

“I think it just helps lift their performance, and so if we could get an upward cycle there, it would be really positive.

“And we know that the responsibility for that falls on us, we’ve got to deliver a decent performance.”

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