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Throwing Sua'ali'i into a one off, must win lineout is peak keyboard coaching.

I think you missed someone in the key players section...

Probably in part because they never called anyone in to replace Paisami either. Also gives Toole a chance at a bit more game time with the Aus XV, which he's probably in need of.

Flook has been called up to the main squad after Pietsch has returned home due to his calf injury.

Pietsch officially out for the rest of the tour: Flook called up to the main squad.

Pietsch officially out for the rest of the tour: Flook called up to the main squad.

Foreign players coming through the collegiate system is the main area - my understanding is most aren't spending their longer breaks in the US, resetting any potential eligibility period each year. With this change they graduate only needing a year or two more of residency in MLR at the point...

Seems like a good bet, particularly if Tupou is iffy. Could even roll the dice and rest Tupou entirely based on his performance against England. Doing that might also signal Schmidt is firming on Harry Wilson as his long term captain, whereas choosing McReight or Gordon it could be that he's...

I think this change was largely to help the USA - it means their collegiate system and MLR have much more capacity to convert eligibility over time without the players needing to live in the US the whole time on relatively low contracts/wages, as long as they don't go play Shute Shield, NPC...

Rugby.com.au is running with the Williams at 6 line: https://www.rugby.com.au/news/wales-wallabies-harry-wilson-injury-jeremy-williams-england-win-20241111 Far from definitive, but it definitely looks to be firming as the most likely scenario.

They updated it but not in a way that helps them: https://www.world.rugby/news/950466/amendment-to-world-rugby-regulation-8-national-team-eligibility-from-1-august-2024 So it's now about 'unbroken' (read: exclusive) registration for a rugby team in the country you're trying to earn eligibility...

I've been making an effort to track it here the last few years: https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/community/threads/wallaby-eligibility.19403/ With the squads now released I'll probably look to update it for 2025 sometime soon.

Unfortunately for Mahe (and probably Victorian rugby in general) winning the Dewar Shield does not automatically qualify you for the Wallabies. Leaving to play for Panasonic (2019) and then the Giltinis (2021) will have reset his eligibility.

More chance of Williams, I think. He's more mobile and a bit quicker so does a better job covering Wilson's role and then they can run Skelton and Salakaia-Loto as starting and bench locks (in either order) alongside Frost playing the full 80. That (or Uru starting) seems like the least...

It's hard to know with guys coming over from 7s, but it's not unrealistic to suggest he fits somewhere in a spectrum from Tristan Reilly through Lachie Anderson to Dylan Pietsch in super rugby. That's not to say he should've been signed over any of those guys, but he's got something to offer as...

Nathan Lawson is set to leave the 7s program for rugby league: https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/12/exclusive-aussie-sevens-star-signs-with-nrl-club-in-huge-blow-weeks-after-taking-out-games-top-award/ Looks like a flow on from the Rebels demise with none of the super sides willing to pick him...

I'm not anointing him World player of the year or the John Eales medal, but as a rookie of the year for 2025 he's in very good stead. Particularly from the Australian awards where the Rebels demise means there are fewer spaces and a flood talent on the market that will mean fewer rookies getting...

A lot of coverage amongst those backs too, could see us look to run 6-2 a bit more often to take advantage of the full lock and backrow group we've got. Would just rely on either Mason Gordon/Campbell covering 10, Mclaughlin-Phillips/Lynagh getting up to speed at fullback/wing or using Gibbs in...

Surely Hudson Creighton would be first up at 13 ahead of Sapsford in that situation? He's an out and out 13 as opposed to Sapsford utility and was preferred there last year when Ikitau was unavailable.

He's pretty much a dead cert to get the rookie of the year at the 2025 RA awards at this point. For the World Rugby ones I'm not sure if they're calendar year or test season (starts with the EOYT/Autumn internationals). He's not going to trump someone like Wallace Sititi or Sacha...