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Ex-Wallabies duo agree Noah Lolesio should currently start for Australia

Noah Lolesio. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies Tim Horan and Cameron Shepherd agree that flyhalf Noah Lolesio would start for Australia ahead of the likes of Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson if there was a Test tomorrow.

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Lolesio, who played more than 15 matches in Wallaby gold before falling out of favour, has played an instrumental role in the Brumbies’ strong form this season which sees them sit third after 10 rounds.

The 24-year-old has been a general around the field for the Australian powerhouse, which included a try against the table-topping Hurricanes last weekend, and has been sensational off the kicking tee.

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For quite some time now, one of the biggest questions yet to be answered by new Australian coach Joe Schmidt is who should start in the No. 10 jersey? Well, Noah Lolesio might just be the answer.

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Tim Horan has picked a new-look Wallabies side based on current form. This is a team that doesn’t include last year’s World Cup skipper Will Skelton.

“This weekend, that’s the side I’d pick – and I tell you what, it’s a big forward pack,” Horan said on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.

“It just depends on what Joe Schmidt is looking for. Does he want a really big forward pack? Does he want a mobile forward pack?

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“I think Taniela Tupou hasn’t started a lot of matches for the Rebels.

“We both agree on Noah,” Horan continued. “I picked him at the start of the year that he’s the player that has really got to stand up.

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“Where we only differ a little bit, I think Tom Wright is the form 15 for the Australian teams and I think Andrew Kellaway is a better winger than Tom Wright is a winger.”

Horan has gone with James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Taniela Tupou, Lachlan Swinton, and Rob Leota in the tight five, while Rob Leota, , Fraser McReight and Rob Valetini round out the forwards.

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Queensland’s Tate McDermott partners Lolesio in this team, while Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau line up in the midfield. Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Tom Wright are the outside backs.

It’s a strong team but one that looks vastly different to what former coach Eddie Jones selected last year, with Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson seen as the preferred options at first five.

Cameron Shepherd has agreed on eight selections, but would sub in prop Harry Johnson-Holmes, locks Darcy Swain and Izack Rodda, and flanker Liam Wright in the forward pack.

Shepherd, who played at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, would also go with veteran Nic White at halfback, and Tom Wright switching places from fullback to wing for Melbourne’s Andrew Kellaway.

“To add some thought to my selections, I really want to see Joe Schmidt create a back three that are completely interchangeable,” Shepherd added.

“I want to see them being able to replace each other and I totally understand defensively in certain situations they’re going to be where they’re going to be.

“The connection between those three has to be one of the most important parts of Australian rugby.

“Kellaway’s kicking game is slightly better than Tom Wright’s and that’s probably why I prefer him at 15.”

Tim Horan’s current Wallabies XV: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Taniela Tupou, Lachlan Swinton, Nick Frost, Rob Leota, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Andrew Kellaway, Hunter Paisami, Len Ikitau, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Tom Wright

Cameron Shepherd’s Wallabies XV: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Darcy Swain, Izack Rodda, Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Nic White, Noah Lolesio, Tom Wright, Hunter Paisami, Len Ikitau, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Andrew Kellaway

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Can the All Blacks regain their aura and maintain their winning legacy?

Jesus christ I gave up to scroll down and find I wasn’t even halfway through!


I got to the answer to the question that was building at least..

This is what makes 2025 so fascinating: are New Zealand going to lower its expectations on what constitutes a fair return from the All Blacks, or will the old standard stay in place?

And is this really it? Did you make us read all (half) of that to be fascinated on whether.. what, fans say he should have stuck with experience like he did last year? You are one sick individual author.


I doubt you are going to get many answers though, their are a plethora of reasons why they were so bad during this period. All they have to do is fix them. Will it continue to be 93%? No, probably not. There, happy?


My fav reason you noted though;

If the All Blacks ever did have an inherent advantage – some ingrained rugby intelligence that they could tap into and keep innovating their game to stay ahead of the chasing pack – it seems like they no longer do.

This is exactly it. Over coaching no longer has the team playing rugby they way they grew up. They were awesome obviously because of how they played rugby. Theres no other possible answer unless you have some theory that somehow migrating long distances makes you genetically superior.


All they need to do to restore results is return to playing their version of rugby. How can we be so confident? Because theres another International team that took New Zealands style and turned it into a formular that the could train their players up with. Ireland. They are the ones that went to 90% win rate and now have plummeted back down after no longer playing like that anymore.


Now, what’s fascinating is what the new % will be and what are other micro factors that can help increase it. First, I don’t think it’s healthy (it seems to be thriving now as you say) if they continue at 90, 80 would be a respectable now. Second, U85 rugby is having that growth mentioned, and this is the perfect environment to be trying to involve people from Asia and South America in. Bill it up, bring it to Universities, use them for the 7s programme. Some, hopefully like Ollie Mathis, might want to try and bring their game to the open division, and help get that All Blacks record chugging.

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