“If he’s not right today, it’s a risk for the weekend. Dylan Pietsch had done well coming off the bench. So, we’ve got confidence in the squad and we’re trying to grow the squad and grow the depth.”
Asked if he might have dropped Koroibete if he’d not been injured, Schmidt said: “It’s a moot question really because we hadn’t had to come to that decision. It was in a state of flux anyway with the wrist injury, and he was ruled out today, so it became a moot point.”
Marika Koroibete charging for the Wallabies in Sydney.Credit: Getty Images
It was not exactly damnation from the coach, but nor was it a defence. And with the winger’s involvement on the spring tour yet to be determined, questions have been raised around whether the two-time John Eales medallist has done enough to lock in a spot for the British and Irish Lions series next year. By his own incredibly high standards, Koroibete has not been the same dominant figure in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Koroibete did not go on the spring tour in 2022, and returned to his Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. He also withdrew from the tour in 2021 during COVID due to the birth of a child. Schmidt said he would be talking with Koroibete and the Wild Knights next month about whether he would go on the spring tour this year.
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Schmidt elected to keep big lock Salakaia-Loto on the bench for the Wellington clash, despite making a strong claim to start with an impressive performance from the bench in the second half in Sydney. Nick Frost and the industrious Jeremy Williams will start in the second row.
As seen with his decision to also keep Tate McDermott on the bench, Schmidt said he’d opted to keep Salakaia-Loto as an impact player in the second half.
Ben Donaldson has been recalled to the bench as the reserve playmaker, with Tom Lynagh dropping out due to a niggly hamstring injury. With Max Jorgensen having flown home earlier in the week after failing to overcome a virus picked up in Argentina, Josh Flook took Pietsch’s spot on the bench.
White was busy in Sydney but also drew the ire of the referee Karl Dickson for his constant chat, which even forced the whistleblower to admonish White at one point.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson also named his side for the Wellington clash, and recalled several veterans to the starting team in the form of Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara in the halves, and with Anton Lienert-Brown replacing the injured Jordie Barrett at No.12.
Flanker Sam Cane will become the 13th All Black to play 100 Tests for New Zealand.
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