On Wednesday night, the Wallabies enjoyed a low-stakes game of poker together in their hotel and by Thursday morning, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt had shuffled his squad that is deprived of three aces in Exeter’s Tom Hooper, Len Ikitau and Leicester’s James O’Connor.
Saturday’s Test does not fall in the three-week window where clubs must release O’Connor, Ikitau and Hooper, via World Rugby’s regulation nine, although England can name a full-strength side from the same competition due to a negotiated deal between the Premiership and the Rugby Football Union.
“It’s not really a distraction for us, it’s an opportunity . . . you often get dealt a set of cards and while you may shuffle the deck a little bit or try to steal a card from somewhere else, if those cards aren’t available, you shuffle what you’ve got and try to put out your best hand,” Schmidt said.
“We feel that we’ve got a hand that can challenge England, but we know how good they are and that might not be enough, but we’re certainly going to give it a try.”
Schmidt clarified that Rugby Australia were never in a position to negotiate with Exeter or Leicester for the release of Ikitau, Hooper or O’Connor due to the threat of a fine for both clubs if they released the players for the Test.
The Wallabies will welcome back Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Fraser McReight, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost and Taniela Tupou in the match-day squad, after the players were rested in the narrow win against Japan last Saturday in Tokyo.
Schmidt has selected Harry Potter to start on the wing ahead of Dylan Pietsch, who impressed in his Test comeback in Japan after fracturing his jaw in South Africa. Schmidt confirmed that Pietsch was being managed in his recovery.
The Wallabies have welcomed back some heavy hitters ahead of facing England.Credit: Getty Images
“Dylan Pietsch is still getting back to full speed, it’s been a bit of a recovery for him since injuring himself against South Africa (in Johannesburg),” Schmidt said.
