Dave Rennie confirms three overseas picks for England series
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Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie has revealed the three players who will be in his squad to face England in July in a three-test series.
Rugby Australia tweaked their selection policy on overseas players earlier this year, it now states that the head coach can select just three overseas-based players who also meet the minimum number of Test caps of 30 and five years of service to Australian rugby.
Rennie will also be able to select an eligible player that currently plays overseas but has contractually committed to playing for an Australian-based franchise for the following year, ala Kurtley Beale.
Speaking to the media, the Wallabies boss confirmed that lock Will Skelton was on their radar but the second rower's long season in France was the reasoning for his exclusion.
“That’s the challenge around guys coming out of France. They go deep into a season. It’s been a helluva long year,” Rennie said.
“We brought them in last year, and he fitted in well. I’m not looking to bring him back for the England series but maybe beyond that.”
Rennie confirmed the selections of flyhalf Quade Cooper, centre Samu Kerevi and winger Marika Koroibete. All three players have been plying their trade in Japan with Koroibete winning the Japanese Rugby League One season with former Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans at the Panasonic Wild Knights.
Rennie will name his Wallabies squad on Sunday, and has expressed confidence that Taniela Tupou will be fit for the series despite his recent calf injury.
“Marika [Koroibete] is one of the best wingers in the world,” Rennie said.
“I’m not sure if there is another winger with his repeatability and his work ethic. He’s just top gear all day and we’re looking forward to getting that back.”
Kerevi returned to the Wallabies' jumper last year and his form earned him a nomination for the World Rugby Player of the Year Award, after just five test matches while Cooper’s old head was also highly valued in the squad.
“He [Cooper] has a massive impact, he is just a really calming influence and he was so impressive in the group,” Rennie said.
”He was great with Noah [Lolesio] and even when Noah was playing, and Quade wasn’t, his contribution in meetings was great. He’d sit down on the computer next to Noah and talk through a lot of things.“
As for Tupou, Rennie confirmed that he is working intensively with Wallabies medical staff to be fit for the series.
“He’s been here all week. He’s dropped some size, working really hard, he’s in a really good place mentally, really fresh. We were a bit anxious three weeks ago but we’re pretty confident we’ll get him there for the first Test,” Rennie said.
