‘Noah’s the man’: Dan Carter says Lolesio is best option as Wallabies playmaker for 2027 World Cup
The Wallabies have a mountain to climb at the home World Cup in 2027, with the draw pitting them against the best teams in the world. Now a legendary playmaker has weighed in on who should lead the way.
The greatest playmaker in rugby history, Dan Carter, has declared that Noah Lolesio is the man to lead the Wallabies at the 2027 World Cup in the contentious No.10 jersey.
Carter believes Lolesio has the tools to steer Australia at a home World Cup in which they face a monumental task even getting to the semi-finals, with their quarter-final rivals set to be either South Africa or England after the official draw was announced.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt tried seven different players in the five-eighth position across 2025, and it remains the biggest question mark heading into these crucial two years before the tournament kicks off on October 1, 2027.
“I’ve always thought Noah was the man, but unfortunately at key times he has injuries,” Carter said.
“So if he can get his body right and build some consistency, then for me he’s shown enough on occasions to drive the team.
“I just liked his direction.
“When the Brumbies are performing well it’s normally off the back of him playing good rugby so he can influence the game. When the other team are hot on attack or when you’re under pressure he’s got the ability to bring the momentum back into their favour, so just the matter of being able to do that on a consistent basis is the key.”
Australia has been drawn with New Zealand in Pool A of the World Cup. If they win Pool A, they’ll likely face the world champion Springboks in the quarters.
If they lose to New Zealand and finish second in Pool A, their likely path is a round of 16 knockout game against Eddie Jones’ Japan, and then should they win that, a quarter-final against England, who finished 2025 with the best winning percentage of any country.
Carter, the only five-eighth to win World Rugby’s player of the year three times (2005, 2012, 2015) and was part of the All Blacks World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015, knows how pivotal the decision will be around who the Wallabies have at No.10.
“You’ve got to do your core basics well, the fundamentals of the game in the 10 jersey, because World Cups are different,” Carter said.
“There’s different expectations and pressures. Things happen in World Cups that you can’t even imagine. Whether it’s referee decisions or cards or injuries, you just don’t know.
“So you want the drivers of the team to just be doing the fundamentals of the game and performing under those extreme amounts of pressure. So great communication, great kicking and passing. And just directing the team around the field is really important.
“But also that ability to change momentum when the game’s needed.”
Lolesio is now playing for Japanese second division club Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi on a one-year deal, but even if he is based overseas in 2027, the Wallabies can pick him after scrapping the ‘Giteau Law’ - which prevented selection of Aussies abroad.
Carter said while veteran James O’Connor had filled the role well this year, it was time for the Wallabies to look at the younger crop, that includes Lolesio, Carter Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Tane Edmed, Ben Donaldson and Hamish Stewart, who all spent time in the position this year.
“I think you’ve got a lot of young talent and you want to really blood those guys,” Carter said.
“You’ve still got time to give them. There’s been a lot of injuries for the Wallabies this year. I think that’s a big part of the reason that James being called upon.
“He did a great job in filling that void. But there is a lot of young talent and I think Super Rugby is an amazing opportunity for a lot of those young number 10s to put their hands up and say that they want that jersey and they want to be driving the Wallabies’ side in two years at the 2027 World Cup.”
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Originally published as ‘Noah’s the man’: Dan Carter says Lolesio is best option as Wallabies playmaker for 2027 World Cup
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