Giteau Law tweaked for Rennie

Wallabies boss Dave Rennie is to be given two “coach’s picks” under an amendment to the Giteau Law that will only apply this year.

Toulouse's lock Rory Arnold could be in demand for the Wallabies this spring Picture: AFP

Wallabies boss Dave Rennie is to be given two “coach’s picks” under an amendment to the Giteau Law that will only apply this year during the global pandemic.

He will name his first official Wallabies squad on Sunday following the Super Rugby AU qualifying final between the Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels, although it is by no means definite that his two “picks” will be included.

At present, the only Australian players who can be selected from abroad are those who have played 60 or more Tests for the Wallabies and given solid service to the game by spending at least seven seasons with Australian Super Rugby sides.

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There was, as well, a “Michael Cheika subclause” added to the Giteau Law during his reign as Wallabies coach, allowing players who had re-signed with Australian clubs for the next two seasons to also come into the selection reckoning. Under this rule, for instance, former Exeter now Brumbies halfback Nic White was brought into the World Cup squad last year, though he did not make his return to Australia until last month.

But now there will be a “Rennie subclause” as well, allowing the Wallabies coach to select two players based with foreign clubs to cover holes in his roster. This amendment, which will only apply this year, allows greater flexibility to the Australian selectors while still prioritising the selection of players who have remained at home with Australian clubs.

It is understood that Rennie has not yet chosen the two players who fail to meet the Giteau Law criteria that he will invite home but the expectation is that they will both be locks. Toulouse-based Rory Arnold is regarded as a near-certainty but it will be intriguing to see whether Arnold’s World Cup locking partner Izack Rodda or Will Skelton are welcomed into the selection picture.

As handy as such players as Adam Coleman (London Irish) or Luke Jones (Racing-Metro) might be, it may be that none of the other foreign-based locks is considered a significantly better player than, say, Cadeyrn Neville (Brumbies) or Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds) or 100-Test cap Waratahs captain Rob Simmons, who have all been playing Super Rugby AU this season.

In that event, Rennie presumably could look to strengthen the Wallabies elsewhere. Australian rugby is also having a problem with hitting the lineout targets and it could well be that Tolu Latu (Stade Francais), who emerged as one of the Wallabies’ better-performed players at the World Cup, could be invited back to help shore up the stock of quality hookers.

Any time Cheika invoked the Giteau Law, his decisions were rubber-stamped without question but Rugby Australia is attempting to bring a more orderly process into play. In future, any time the two “coach’s picks” rule is invoked, the selectors must go through a consultative phase which involves not only the Super Rugby sides but also the RA governance and policy subcommittee, consisting of directors Daniel Herbert and Phil Waugh, both Wallabies, and Hayden Rorke.

Similarly, an additional level of consultation will need to take place before any player can be cleared under the two-year re-signing rule or indeed even the original 60-cap and seven years’ service requirement. Any players selected under these provisions will require full RA board approval. This is an additional level of consultation not previously required under the Giteau Law policy and, significantly, will continue beyond this year.

Because the Giteau Law requires overseas clubs to release players under World Rugby’s Regulation 9, the scheme only works automatically during approved World Rugby Tests windows. Hence, while Rennie could nominate players for The Rugby Championship in November-December because the tournament falls within the Test window, the additional two Bledisloe Cup Tests fall outside it. The only way Australia could bring foreign-based players home for those matches would be if their overseas clubs gave their approval.

Interim RA CEO, Rob Clarke said the new, amended selection policy had been approved by all the Super Rugby chairmen and chief executives. “This is a prudent and measured step in response to the unprecedented impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Australian rugby and the broader rugby community,” Clarke said.

“Dave (Rennie) will soon assemble his squad and they’re likely to remain in a ‘bubble’ for 10 weeks with no opportunity to call in replacements for injury due to the quarantined environment. It will be a real test for those players selected, and the Wallabies management team, but I know they are incredibly excited about the opportunity.

“We are being quite clear that this addition is for this year only but that we will continue to review the entire policy from time to time, as required,” Clarke said.

Rennie stressed that his first and foremost commitment was to recognise those players who are currently making a daily contribution to rugby in Australia.

“We now have the chance to select one or two players based overseas who don’t meet the current criteria and they’ll not only add some experience to our group but be able to guide our young players to help their development,” Rennie said.

“We are also looking long term though. We want to bring players back to play Super Rugby here in Australia, especially those who are passionate about playing for the Wallabies, get them excited about being in the environment again and this is a great way to encourage that.”