Australia’s head coach, Joe Schmidt, has responded to a warning from the British and Irish Lions about the contractual obligation to release test players for the Lions’ warm-up matches in Australia.
The agreement is very clear, that is our expectation.
Ben Calveley, Lions CEO
Schmidt, in response to the warning from the Lions’ chief executive, Ben Calveley, stated that they are carefully considering the situation.
Schmidt mentioned that they are evaluating the possibility of some players returning to the Reds and the Waratahs.
The coach also questioned whether the Lions would play with their best team each week and whether Australia should field the same players in each match.Caption: Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has responded to the Lions’ warningPreviously, Schmidt allowed trial players such as Nick Champion de Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White to play for Western Force against the Lions, but the bigger names of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Rob Valetini, as well as other Australian players from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies, will not be available.
Schmidt explained that the match against Fiji will be played on Sunday, while the Waratahs will play on Saturday night, which makes it counterproductive to play against the Lions the next day.
Schmidt added that the tour agreement seeks to have the highest quality players available and playing, but does not specify that all Wallabies from a state or club must be available for each Lions match.
The apparent lack of depth of Australia has been seen as a reason to protect some of their key players, as well as the fact that their own preparation match against Fiji in New South Wales on July 6, is the day after the Lions face the Waratahs.
The Lions lost 28-24 against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday in their first preparation match.
