Scrumhalf Nic White has put his retirement on ice to join Australia’s Rugby Championship squad for the tour of South Africa following an injury to regular number nine Jake Gordon.
The 35-year-old White had declared the third and final British and Irish Lions Test in Sydney would be his last international match but on Thursday he was included in Joe Schmidt’s 35-man squad for South Africa.
Uncapped scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan will join 73-Test White in the squad for next week’s clash against the world champions in Johannesburg and the second Test in Cape Town on August 23rd.
Ireland are back at the World Cup. How will they fare?
Outhalf Tom Lynagh will miss the tour, though, after the injury he picked up while being cleared out of a ruck by Lions Skipper Dan Sheehan in the Wallabies’ 22-12 win in Sydney and subsequently failing a head injury assessment. Sheehan subsequently received a four-week ban, which will be reduced to three subject to the Ireland and Leinster player successfully completing a coaching intervention course.
READ MORE
Tane Edmed replaces Lynagh in the squad, joining Ben Donaldson and James O’Connor among the outhalf options.
Edmed’s call-up caps a rollercoaster year for the 24-year-old whose Test debut against Ireland last November lasted three minutes before being forced off field with concussion.
He had a miserable Super Rugby season with the New South Wales Waratahs, falling down the outhalf pecking order under coach Dan McKellar before announcing a switch to the ACT Brumbies next year.
For all that, Edmed said he had not lost faith he would eventually find his way back to the Wallabies.
“I’ve been in close contact with Joe [Schmidt] and the coaches, and they’ve always said ‘stay ready’,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“And despite the Super competition probably not going the way I would have liked, I always felt like I was a chance.”
With Allan Alaalatoa injured, uncapped prop Aidan Ross gets a chance.
Schmidt also recalled uncapped winger Corey Toole while adding the Queensland trio of centre Josh Flook, hooker Josh Nasser and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto among the new faces.
Prop Taniela Tupou and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, a late inclusion for the third Lions test, were retained.
Australia squad
Backs: Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, Josh Flook, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, James O’Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright.
Forwards: Angus Bell, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Billy Pollard, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Carlo Tizzano, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, James Slipper, Jeremy Williams, Josh Nasser, Langi Gleeson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Tom Hooper, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Zane Nonggorr, Aidan Ross
