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Tom Lynagh has been thrust into the limelight, named at flyhalf for the Wallabies in their crucial opening Test against the British & Irish Lions in Brisbane on Saturday. The son of Michael Lynagh, who ran the cutter for the Wallabies in the 1989 Lions series, Tom earns his first start after just one hour of Test match experience in the No.10 jersey, having come off the bench in three previous matches.
Following the withdrawal of Noah Lolesio due to injury, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has backed the young playmaker to rise to the occasion, praising his calm demeanour and tactical kicking prowess.
"I'm really excited for Tom — he's a great kid. He's got a quiet confidence about him," Schmidt said of the selection.
“He’s given both the coaches and the players confidence that he’s going to run the game really well for us. His kicking game is strong, he’s got good acceleration, and he’s incredibly brave — maybe to a fault.”
Lynagh will form a playmaking duo with Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon, feeding a midfield combination of Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i.
The lack of Super Rugby Pacific cohesion in the Wallabies starting line-up has raised concerns, particularly with the Lions fielding a near all-Irish forward pack and a Scottish 11-12-13 combination. Despite forming a familiar halves partnership with Lynagh at the Queensland Reds, Tate McDermott will come off the bench.
“Jake [Gordon] gives us a little bit more experience around the back of the scrum and at the edge of our lineout,” said Schmidt when addressing the selection decision.
“It was a complicated and narrow call, but we felt that having a player return from injury and go straight onto the bench can leave them a bit cold and more susceptible to re-injury. We thought this would give Tate a better flow into the game. He’s also been really effective for us at the back end of games — some of his performances late last year were outstanding.”
A string of eleventh-hour injuries has forced Schmidt into making some unexpected selection calls.
Reigning John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and Langi Gleeson have all been kept on ice for the opening Test after failing to prove their fitness. Valetini’s engine and ability to bend the line will be especially missed in the Australian pack.
To compensate, the Wallabies have drafted in powerhouse back-rower Nick Champion de Crespigny to make his starting debut, capping a remarkable rise since rejoining Super Rugby Pacific with the Western Force. Described by back-row counterpart Fraser McReight as a “psycho,” Champion de Crespigny is expected to add much-needed physicality to break through the Lions’ formidable defence.
He will form a back-row trio with McReight and captain Harry Wilson. Schmidt acknowledged the void left by Valetini, stating that Champion de Crespigny has “big shoes to fill.”
“The good thing with Nick is he’s a strong lineout option. I thought he was very good in the Force lineout,” said Schmidt.
“He’s probably more of a roving scavenger than Bobby [Valetini], who’s been a major ball carrier for us in the past. So Nick complements Fraser in that respect. That probably puts more onus on [Harry Wilson] to take on the primary ball-carrying role.”
In another notable selection, Taniela Tupou has been omitted from the match-day squad. Schmidt has opted for a front-row starting pair of James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa, with Angus Bell and Tom Robertson named as bench cover.
Australia Starting XV (1-15) James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nicholas Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Jake Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright
Australia Replacements (16-23) Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway
