Key Selection Dilemmas for Coaches
The decision-making process for coaches in both rugby league and rugby union is often a complex and challenging task, especially when it comes to selecting the right players for high-stakes matches. For example, NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley faced a tough choice when selecting his squad for State of Origin I. The question was whether to keep Dylan Edwards at fullback or recall ex-captain James Tedesco for his first Origin appearance since Game 1 in 2024. Both players had made compelling cases throughout the NRL season, but ultimately, Tedesco was chosen for the series opener against the Queensland Maroons.
Daley described Edwards’s omission as a “tough call,” highlighting the difficulty of such decisions. Similarly, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is facing a similar dilemma when selecting his squad for July’s Nations Championship Tests. The key question is who should be chosen as the best option at fullback.
Tom Wright was initially Schmidt’s preferred choice until he suffered an ACL injury in the Wallabies’ 30-22 loss to the Springboks in Cape Town last August. This injury ended his 2025 season, and he only recently returned to the playing field for the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby Pacific. Wright has not yet recaptured his best form, which is expected given the time required for recovery from ACL injuries, both physically and emotionally.
However, Max Jorgensen has emerged as a strong contender. He described fullback as his “natural position” in the lead-up to Friday night’s match. Jorgensen outshone Wright in a one-on-one contest late in the second half, using minimal room down the left edge to find his way to the goal line for a brilliant try. This moment surely gave Schmidt food for thought, especially as he started Jorgensen at fullback in four of the nine Tests that followed Wright’s injury last year.
If fully fit, Jorgensen will be one of the first picked in Schmidt’s squad, but it remains to be seen whether he will play wing or fullback. Meanwhile, Jock Campbell’s form for the Queensland Reds has added further intrigue to the debate over who wears the number 15 jersey for the Wallabies. Campbell, who made his Test debut in 2022, showed he is elusive in attack when he scored the match-winning try for the Reds in their nervous 33-31 defeat of the last-placed Moana Pasifika in Auckland on Saturday.
Brumbies Clinch Finals Berth
The Brumbies were in no mood to celebrate qualifying for the finals following their win over the Waratahs. Coach Stephen Larkham’s demeanour in the post-match media conference did not hide the fact he expected his squad to have already secured a finals berth ahead of round 15.
The Brumbies were sitting inside the top three on the Super Rugby Pacific standings earlier this season. However, their finals hopes were dealt a blow when they posted a 1-4 (win-loss) return across a five-match stretch. Consecutive victories over the Western Force and Waratahs meant they were guaranteed to advance to the play-offs.
“There’s a number of games that could have put us in a different situation coming into this game,” Larkham said after the Waratahs match. The Brumbies are fifth on the standings, but where they finish will be decided following this weekend’s final round of the regular season.
A bonus-point win over Moana in Canberra on Saturday night gives them a slim chance of snatching third and securing a home qualifying final, however they will also need other results to go their way. Sixth place, though, is still a possibility if the Brumbies lose and the Reds defeat Fijian Drua in Brisbane on Friday.
Reds Welcome Back Key Personnel
The Reds’ win over Moana was unconvincing, but it did help them reach the finals. It also gave Tate McDermott and Josh Canham the opportunity to gain much-needed match fitness after lengthy spells on the sideline due to injury. McDermott had hamstring surgery late last year and was not considered for selection until the Moana match.
The Reds had been well served at scrum half through Kalani Thomas and Louis Werchon during McDermott’s absence. But McDermott’s leadership ability had been missed. Coach Les Kiss must feel reassured having McDermott, Fraser McReight, and Harry Wilson on the field at the same time, given their experience in captaining the Reds and Wallabies.
The trio have a crucial role to play when the Reds contest their second straight finals series under the top-six format. Canham’s availability is timely as the Reds’ attacking line-out has struggled this season. The Reds won 74 per cent of their line-out throws in the five matches before Canham’s return. Canham was second in Super Rugby Pacific last season for most line-out wins with 76.
Force, Tahs Lick Their Wounds
The Force host the Waratahs in Perth on Saturday night, with the result to decide which team finishes higher than the other on the standings. This will be cold comfort to whoever comes out on top, as both the Force and Waratahs had ambitions of making the finals.
The Force defeated the Drua 19-15 at home last Saturday, but the failure to secure a bonus point meant they were no longer in play-offs contention. “It’s on us. We’ve got to put ourselves in better positions at the end of the year to do things on our own terms,” Force skipper Jeremy Williams said after the Drua match. “It’s really disappointing.”
Williams was highlighting the fact the eighth-placed Force left themselves too much work to do in the second half of the regular season. They reached the midway point of the competition with a 2-5 record. Winning four of their past six matches gave them a glimmer of hope, however they are left to reflect on what might have been.
The Waratahs are in the same boat, with their finals chances evaporating over the weekend. They are seventh with a 5-8 return through 13 matches. Following the loss to the Brumbies, Waratahs coach Dan McKellar was adamant his squad had made progress during his two seasons in charge. But McKellar acknowledged the Waratahs’ on-field results did not support his claim they were moving forward.
The 2027 season shapes as a make-or-break scenario for McKellar, who will be in the final year of his contract.
